


From the Outer Dark

by Xadhoom



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Death, Cthulhu Mythos References, Dark Area | Dark Ocean, Deep Ones, Epilogue, F/M, Lovecraftian Monster(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-02-14 07:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13002534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xadhoom/pseuds/Xadhoom
Summary: Kari has been summoned back to the Dark Ocean. On earth, the Digidestined begin planning her rescue, and get help from unexpected quarters. So begins their latest adventure, their battle with the World of Darkness... what could go wrong?





	1. Descent

Kari gazed out over the Dark Ocean, not particularly bothered by the cold air.

The obsidian water surged and receded, almost hypnotic in its motion, ahead of her as far as she could see and further still, out beyond the mists. She could hear the voices, from down in the depths - a thousand and a thousand for each one of them and another thousand in turn, each one different from the others, some male and some female and some beyond her to place.

The cacophony formed no words, none that she could recognize, but she didn't care anymore.

Deep Ones... their name still sounded weird to her. They who had called her to this realm four years ago. They who had wanted her to join them in the Dark Ocean again, be their mate and their queen again. They who she had refused.

Maybe, if they had been clearer with their message or if she had been less afraid to listen, she could have embraced their gifts sooner. She could have lived forever, savored their adorations and the joys they knew of here. She could have been free, in every sense of the word.

Her own voice sounded in her mind, "Understand also that there is the healing creative power and there is the tainting destructive power. There is the Darkness and the Light, and they can be both in equal measure. All that matters is what you choose."

It went against everything she had ever learned. Yet... it made sense. She liked it.

Gatomon studied her, hoping despite everything her brain and her gut instinct told her that something wasn't getting into her head again. "That noise doesn't sound good, no sir."

"Oh, Lady of Light, oh my queen," the voice unlike a voice whispered, soft and warm despite the strange sound of it. Unmistakably old, ancient, yet welcome. "Your coronation is almost complete. Now is the moment of your rebirth. Come into the waters, to us."

Without looking at the cat, the girl began to walk forward, into the oily waters. She looked back to the cat, meeting her unease with a smile. She didn't stop smiling, even as the waters crawled up her legs.

The voices spoke louder now, a million and a million more all as one.

"Now is Hastur come again," called their voices, at once jubilant and quiet, in japanese and in what she recognized as english and in another language or many that she didn't know at all. "Now is the Mother Hydra come again."

Bewilderment mixed with the worry in Gatomon's eyes at those terms. While unfamiliar, she knew it meant nothing good.

Her vision stopped working. A voice from nowhere thought to her that she should not let it concern her. It was merely the natural consequence of not having eyes for the moment. She decided against questioning that, didn't really want to.

What she then felt, was the warm and wide embrace of another mind around her and against her own. She relaxed into it. A peaceful numbness filled her.

For a moment that felt longer than the cat knew it was, she saw nothing happen. A slight hand rose from the waters, the cat watched, a yellow sleeve whose dim glowing was unmissable especially among this world's faded colors.

It took little more than a moment's time for her to almost fully emerge from the sea, silence reigning as she came out. She looked pale now to the cat's eye, and different in a way she couldn't place.

The feline Digimon watched her human, deep sadness in her eyes. Whatever it was that had just happened here, the meaning was all too clear.

"Don't worry, Kari," she said firmly. "We're going to help you get back to normal, I promise."

The brunette simply smiled, inwardly amused by the idea.

A blue creature, clusters of tentacles wrapped together in crude imitations of arms and legs held together by assorted implements like bands and belts and chains, appeared from nowhere beside her. She couldn't bring herself to be surprised anymore, her gaze remaining worried and fixed on her human.

"Let us depart," said Dagomon, deciding to speak for Gatomon's benefit. "Your castle awaits you to reacquaint yourself with it, after all."

She smiled, feeling mildly curious to see it. It would be fascinating to see it in person, not just from implanted memories.

"You can't go with him!" the cat shouted frantically. As soon as she did, she found herself wondering why, what the point was. Another part of her shushed that part.

She shot the cat a disdainful look. "I can do as I please," she wondered what Gatomon would do if she understood everything that meant. The thought pleased her.

Gatomon looked firmly back at her partner. "Kari, maybe you don't remember anymore, or maybe you don't care, but you helped save me from Myotismon. Now I'm going to do the same for you."

* * *

Yolei glanced anxiously around the apartment's living room. All nine of her closest companions were within her field of vision, her gaze aimed squarely at the wildly-haired brunet on the couch. Everyone - and in Tai's case his literal mother, she commented mentally, a failed jest - was staring back at her, with varying degrees of uncertainty and concern.

"C'mon, Yolei, don't try and build up the suspense here," joked Tai, cheerfully defying the uneasy atmosphere around her.

"Besides, if this is about anything serious," added Cody, "it's best if we don't waste any more time than we have."

Hawkmon announced, "Kari's been kidnapped, back to the Dark Ocean."

A tense silence filled the room. Ken leaned forward, sighing. He had expected this would happen someday.

"Okay," responded Davis, straightening in his seat. He punched his palm. "Let's just get over there, kick the asses of everybody standing in our way, and get her back."

Patamon breathed a sigh of relief, a smile growing on the guinea pig thing's face. Yuuko couldn't say she had any indication of what this 'Dark Ocean' place was, but the situation's severity was apparent.

"So, what's your plan?" inquired the woman. Tai focused, looking expectantly around at them. To his dismay, none of them seemed much sure about that.

"I don't think we can have one, Mrs Kamiya," answered Ken, formally. "We don't really know anything about the dimension she's been taken to, or what kind of creatures there are over there," Yuuko could see the dilemma in that.

Tai frowned, almost scowled. "So what, you're just going to go in with blazing guns and search the entire dimension," he emphazised, "until you find her?"

TK looked apologetic. He couldn't disagree - it was a bad plan.

"I know, Tai, but it's the best we can do right now," Cody answered. Tai still wanted to argue the point, and shouting and raging also sounded appealing.

Uneasy silence filled the air again. It practically flooded the room, for chrissakes.

"Let's look on the bright side," voiced Hawkmon, hoping to ease the mood. "We do have other options, like asking Izzy if he can contact Gennai, and see if we can get another power boost from Azulongmon, and recruit back-up from around Tokyo."

The others watched him with mixed uncertainty and concern, differing levels depending on the individual.

"I like those ideas," Tai voiced, with a grin. "Who do you guys have in mind for back-up?

Davis mentally sighed in relief.

"Well, you guys remember Rika?" asked Cody. "Me and Armadillomon got curious last month, and went to check if there's one of her living in our world, and it turns out she does. Her name is Ruki, and she has a Kyubimon as a partner too. She could really help us."

Wormmon looked peevishly at him. TK mulled it over.

"Wouldn't hurt to ask," said TK. "There's a girl, Sayaka, over in Shibuya. Her partner's an Angemon," he went on, listing a list of names and places that Yuuko only partly remembered hearing before; Jotaro, in Yokohama, a Bearmon... Jun, Davis's sister, a Veemon... a girl named Kyoko, in Adachi, who had another Agumon. A boy named Yuya, who lived over in Koto, with another Gatomon, and others in turn.

All in all, it reassured her to know that Tai and his friends would do _something_ to help Kari.


	2. Revelation of Darkness

The trio appeared upon a platform of smooth obsidian steel, their arrival punctuated by the tricolore static and its accompanying sound. Amazement filled Gatomon's face at the sight which met her eyes.

A tower that was far wider than it was tall filled much in their fields of vision; beyond, Gatomon saw only more faded-colors sea and mist. The tower itself looked like somebody had taken a giant piece of black diamond, hollowed it out and carved into its current shape, more than any kind of ordinary building.

The outside of the building had been polished so comprehensively that Gatomon could mildly see them three in it, not a single blemish anywhere to see in it. Scores of windows littered the front wall, some illuminated from the inside and from that immediately visible to the three onlookers. Up around the fourth row, there was an open doorway, and a staircase that gave access to it. Atop the tower, there was another such tower, differing from the base one in really only being a bit smaller.

The Queen in Yellow smiled, pleased with the building. The Dark Ocean king glanced at her.

"I trust that this is familiar to you?" inquired Dagomon. He did not expect that the memory upload had gone awry, in any way, but caution was nobody's enemy.

Hikari smiled to him, "Yes, yes," Gatomon stared blankly, deciding to ask when she got a chance.

On the other, a part of her didn't want to know what was going on here.

"If memory serves, there should also be a bed chamber and a treasure vault within," she voiced, intending it for Gatomon's benefit. "Correct?"

"Just so," he affirmed, pleasantly. He glanced down, at Gatomon. After a few seconds of watching her, she saw him and Kari begin to flicker, tricolore static covering them, a faint sound coming from them.

There were pedestals, all around them. Almost nothing but that, for what at a glance looked like several hundred metres worth of room. Many of them held an object, of some manner and description. Hikari cast a glance around, turning to get a better look at things. Gatomon also looked around, quizzically, disoriented by the sudden shift of scenery.

"This, Gatomon, is our treasure vault," disclosed Dagomon. "It is where we have stored our treasures, either of our own making, or else ones that we retrieved from other planes. Virtually all things are possible with these artifacts, as you might remember, Hikari."

Gatomon glared at him. "Start making sense, or I'm gonna rip you up," she raised her left paw as she spoke. "What's happened to Kari, and what is she supposed to remember?"

Dagomon and Hikari shared a look, then they looked at the cat.

"If it is answers you want, I will freely and fully tell them to you, as I am sure Hikari will," Dagomon replied. Gatomon watched him cautiously, expecting him to attack at any moment.

"I have been reborn, Gatomon," she said, and leaned down to Gatomon's eye-level, "like you are, every time you take your Angewomon form," in body and also in soul, she decided to not say.

Watching her intently, Gatomon silently prayed that was true. Hikari rose to her full height.

"It is rather complicated," said Dagomon, "and to explain everything, I should first ask you how much you know of the sciences and of the Human World's fiction?"

If there was a connection, Gatomon didn't see it. The cat glared, keeping silent.

"The core of the matter is that the Dark World is what I might call an atemporal space," Dagomon remained almost deathly still as he spoke, "a world not generated by the spacetime continuum that you know, which is a piece of trivia that in most situations means little. An alternate reality is an alternate reality, after all."

"However, this particular quality is crucial to understanding the situation. The fate-blessed ones, like Kari and yourself, across the time-spawned worlds have so many adventures, occasionally to other times and spaces within your continuum, and as a consequence of those, future history continues to change."

"I recognize that you might already be aware of some of this or all of it, Gatomon, but I deem it safer to reiterate the fundamentals of the matter than to be unclear with this lecture," disclosed Dagomon. "Now, as a practical example, do either of you remember fighting the partner Digimon, Agumon, of a young man named Taiga? Do you, Gatomon, remember traveling with Wizardmon to another Digital World and meeting the Xros Heart army?"

"No," it was Hikari who answered the question. Gatomon couldn't pretend that those rang any bell in her head, either.

"Precisely," said Dagomon. He decided to be poetic about it, expecting that it would help Gatomon understand. "The battle between Hikari and I, and our every ally by association, is one of the events that continues to swing in and out of time. Every future for your world involves our paths crossing, eventually. Only rarely does this fight happen and end the exact same way."

Gatomon didn't look remotely sold. "Give me one good reason why I should believe anything you've just said."

"You should believe him because every word is true," said Hikari, "and if you will not trust Dagomon, then trust me," Gatomon didn't know if she could.

The brunette's gaze softened, a smile replacing her frown. The cat felt every inch of her skin tingle from unease, just from looking at Kari, for a reason she couldn't consciously place.

"Do you remember the first time we came here, Gatomon?" asked Hikari. Gatomon nodded, silently. "I know now what exactly happened that day. The creatures who summoned me that day are called 'Deep Ones'," she accentuated the name.

"Those Deep Ones we met are criminals that were imprisoned in the tunnel for their crime of molesting me, and the Airdramon was stationed there to keep them inside. The light that came from the skies was sent by another version of me, who moved over here a long time ago."

Gatomon looked uncertain, deciding to trust her. It was a moment before something occurred to her. She looked to Dagomon, glaring daggers at him. He inclined his head, meeting her ire with confusion.

"So that means that those Deep Ones attacking you, and trying to take you away as their bride, has happened before too?" asked the cat, not looking away from Dagomon. "And that all he does about it is put them back where you find them, so it can happen again and again and again forever?"

A glum mood filled Dagomon's eyes.

"I can see why that part would trouble you," he admitted, neutrally, "and I prefer to think that, whether due to her power or the precaution I have taken, Hikari is in no danger from them. I assure you, harming her is the last thing I wish to do," shame, or something that sounded like it to the cat's ear, was present in his voice.

Gatomon's glare softened. She thought him almost convincing.

"While matters of my life here, Gatomon," Hikari voiced, "is being explained to you, I deem it proper to tell you that the power he means is the Crest of Light, my Digisoul energies condensed into the form you know," there was a strange glee in her voice that Gatomon had never heard from Kari before, a smirk.

"My power is what makes I, Hikari of the Dark Ocean, Kari Kamiya of Earth, more than a mere human. That power and this vessel makes me one who is fit to be Queen of the Dark Ocean," she finished, smirking wider now.

The cat stepped back, puzzled and not a little unnerved by her statement, and by her grin.

"Restrain Gatomon," she said to Dagomon, without looking his away. He rushed to wrap a tentacle around Gatomon in the same second as she finished that sentence.

"Kari!?" she shouted in frantic protest, struggling to break loose. "What're you doing?!"

Hikari gave a predatory smirk, while Dagomon reached a tentacle towards a pedestal four away and three down from them.

"You weren't listening, were you, Gatomon?" her tone was admonishing, even condescending. "We know the motions to this little drama. I know that you and the others are going to rush into this plane with aspirations to save me," a disdainful mood filled her eyes, "and how best to neutralize you all."

Dagomon showed her what she meant - a blue jewel, half-way covered in white veiny flesh. She recognized immediately what it was, by the eight-points symbol on it that was familiar despite its different color. It was a Digiegg, the one of Darkness.

"Do not worry, Gatomon," said Hikari, softly. "This will not hurt you, no more than my own glorious corruption has harmed me."

Gatomon looked pleadingly at her human, hoping despite the odds that she would reconsider. Her uncharacteristically cruel grin only widened.

"Oh, eternal shadow, be embodied in this one," he announced solemnly, and yet mirthfully. "Gatomon, Armor Digivolve," as soon as the lord of the realm had said that, the artifact shone with obsidian light.

Gatomon felt an inrush of power, at once hotter and colder than anything she had ever experienced, and the artifact hurtled itself towards her, came into her.

Hikari followed the spectacle that was the cat glowing and metamorphosing; in that moment, understanding of what she could now do dawned on Gatomon.

Where the cat had just been, there was now a black dragon with four red eyes, howling. The demonic dragon's body now shone once again, fading away when her body had morphed again, showing the brunette now a knight in dark armor. Long blonde hair fell from her head, and blood-red eyes covered her armaments.

Her form began to glow again, and left a green and wide-mouthed figure that carried a bone club in the Duskmon's place. Another such shift, and she had gained red skin, wings with coal-black feathers, a brawny tail like a crocodile's - the form of D'arcdemon.

A bipedal purple lion, with a shaggy black mane. A bird with wings made out of shadowy flames. A caster-less shadow with many gleaming red eyes that wormed around the sands. A masked bipedal demon in a pinstripe-suit and trench-coat, carrying a machine-gun. An armored humanoid with blue skin and deep-red wings. A human woman with red skin garbed in a black leather get-up, with four jet-black wings and a spiked tail longer than she was tall. A winged red skeleton in leather jeans, carrying a jewel-tipped staff.

"You're amazing," murmured the girl, with heart-felt awe, as the other continued her metamorphoses. She was, Gatomon realized, when she had taken the form of Myotismon.

She flexed her fingers, speechless and quite pleased with the sheer amount of power that she could feel within her. Nothing was beyond her now, she thought with glee.

"There is something you might care to know, Myotismon," said Dagomon. The vampire looked at him. "The Digiegg of Darkness is programmed to taint the soul of the user. In a few days, less if you Slide Evolve often, you will think murder your art, and the suffering of others will be your highest joy," Myotismon wondered what his point was.

"Not a problem," smirked the vampire, glancing Hikari's way, relishing in the mental image of her human's blood covering the floor and her eyes flying from her head.  _"Better not."_

"If there is nothing else that either of you would prefer to attend to, I believe it might be entertaining for your new companion to go on a guided tour of your dominion, Hikari," said Dagomon, a smidge of his curiosity left in the air.


	3. Brief Visits

It was atop a cliff on a mountain that Hikari, Dagomon, and Myotismon arrived, flickering briefly. The first thing that occurred to the vampire and Hikari was how different this place looked from the Dark Ocean.

Everything here wasn't drained of color like things in the Dark Ocean were, they saw at once. Hikari glanced out curiously over the landscape, fascinating. Seeing this in person, she mused, was a wholly different experience than through her other self's memories.

The sky that they saw was blood-red, and clear of clouds. Only Hikari really focused on it, though.

Green glowing cubes littered the sky, seemingly arranged in no particular order. A dark cloud raced across the sky, far bigger than the rest, red lightning erupting from it. Below it all, there was a wasteland that extended as far as they could see. A mountain range filled much of it.

"I bid you welcome, Myotismon, to Hell," said Dagomon, affecting a solemn tone. The vampire didn't look at him, content to idly gaze out at the landscape.

"Enjoying the view?" asked Hikari of her, tone jovial. The vampire turned to her. Dagomon watched them with mild curiosity.

"I guess I am," answered Myotismon. She somewhat wanted to laugh, at the absurdity of everything that was going on, but decided to take in the sight instead.

Dagomon sighed softly.

"Now, to resume your guided tour of the Dark World. You might care to know that this realm is endless in the truest sense of the word. Look long and well upon these mountains, Myotismon," he gestured a tentacle out towards them, "and know that its scope defines infinity itself."

The vampire shot him a skeptical look. The sea monster decided to give examples.

"There are continents here in Hell that would make the Earth and the Digital World that you know best appear as little more than dots on a canvas," Dagomon proclaimed, giving something of a grin. "There are demons here, ZeedMillenniummon, Azathomon, Ereshkigamon, and quite a few more men and women across this plane," he made a sweeping gesture over the landscape, "whose might so far exceeds that of every demon you faced in your adventures as the might of Daemon exceeds that of the most meager Rookie."

Myotismon scoffed, giving a smirk. "I'll admit that you can make it sound ominous."

"Care to remember the Daemon you send over here?" Dagomon asked, deciding to not stress the plurality of that. "After you sent him here, he has come to lead a new empire beneath the surface of this continent. From what I hear, he has quite a bit of a war with a Belphemon, on his hands down there."

Grin dying down, Myotismon admitted mentally that  _that_ was a bit surprising.

"And we as the queen and king of the Dark Ocean stand above them all," Hikari spoke to Myotismon,

Myotismon smirked, pleased by the notion yet dismayed for a reason she couldn't place.

"Now if you will bear with me," said Dagomon, "I will change the topic towards the philosophical. Myotismon," he affected his best stern lecturer's tone of voice, "you likely understand the Light and the Darkness as opposing elements that hold mirroring properties. The Light is good, the Darkness is evil. The Light brings life, the Darkness brings death. So on, and on."

Myotismon gave a disinterested shrug. Hikari affixed him with a curious look.

"I can assure you that you should dispel any such binaries that you believe in," he said, "for both sides are elemental forces, totalities onto themselves, equally able and formidable. As proof, I present the fact that I created the world egg for this plane, and most things in it, by means of my experience to write code," Myotismon tilted her head at that part, then decided against asking. Dagomon speculated momentarily if it had been seventeen million years ago he had created his universe or fifteen, then decided it didn't particularly matter right now.  _"There probably isn't any reason to mention how Hikari relates to world-making."_

"If you'll recall, there have been those in your world who did the same," Dagomon said. Myotismon didn't really care to. "The Devimon you battled several years ago drew upon those energies that I poured into the Dark Ocean's waters, the very same power that Ken drew upon when he made his mind-control devices," he trailed off, briefly pondering his word choices.

"Millenniummon was more self-sufficient when he made the Dark Spore. I presume he did so to corrupt and ensnare the ones he could not defeat in battle," a measure of fondness crept into Dagomon's voice.

Myotismon recognized every name. None of his nonsense really fascinated her, except for the part about the waters. That, she decided, could be useful. He paused momentarily, pointing a tentacle at Hikari.

"As with Hikari here," he continued, "there have been those who have tapped into the Dark Ocean's infernal energies and been reborn by it, such as the Lopmon partnered to Willis Gladstone and the D-Reaper program."

Dagomon and Hikari both recognized that look in the vampire's eyes, knew everything that it implied. The memories still sat strange with her, but she knew the look from battles past. She decided not to worry about it; it would hardly be them a problem, no matter what.

As if on cue, a loud - thunderous, really - noise rang out. Myotismon, caught off guard, hurried to look to her left. Hikari, unperturbed, did the same. Dagomon scoffed, pleased with the coincidence.

Shock filled her face at the sight which met Myotismon's eyes.

A gigantic spider stood by the base of a relatively-close mountain. The vampire recognized it as the thing that Diaboromon had turned into and that Imperialdramon had beaten. A thing the vampire didn't recognize was facing it, a weird mixture of body-parts from several different Digimon all unfamiliar to her. That, Myotismon imagined, was the kind of thing Kimeramon would Digivolve into.

Blasts of fire and energy, rains of missiles, occurred as they watched; after barely one minute of them exchanging fire, it was over. GrandGeneramon had won.

"And on an unrelated note, that sort of thing is why I am proud of my work," he bragged. Myotismon gave an indifferent shrug. Dagomon looked miffed.

"I cannot say that it was the greatest skirmish I have ever laid eyes on," said Hikari to Dagomon, smiling apologetically. The Ultimate grumbled, feigned annoyance.

"Enough of all this nonsense," Myotismon voiced, a grin on her face, arms folded. "What do you do for fun around here in Hell?"

"Most of the time, we meditate, and contemplate everything within and beyond ourselves," said Hikari, "while the Deep Ones of our dominion worship us and are in turn provided for. On occasions where boredom strikes, we travel to elsewhere for amusement."

Translation, Myotismon thought, we don't conquer anything or anyone. "That sounds so damn boring. I say, we go out and start conquering."

It occurred to Hikari that Wizardmon would likely be very disappointed to see Gatomon now. She decided against saying so.

"'Conquer' what?" asked Hikari. Dagomon joined her in looking curiously at the vampire.

"Conquer everything," answered Myotismon. "Everybody in Japan, everything in the Real and Digital Worlds, everything here in Hell. Dare I say it - every dimension that exists," her grin grew wide.

Hikari decided to take her statements as a credit to her craftsmanship.

"Quite unnecessary," she said, coolly. "Have you not yet grasped that Hell holds enough territory, and more still, to feed your dreams of conquest, Myotismon? Why bother with those tiny planets?"

Myotismon's smirk died, and a glare broke out instead. Dagomon could almost physically feel the rage that poured off her.

The vampire stepped forward, glaring at Hikari as she walked, Dagomon observing her. Hikari looked dispassionately back, motionless. Coming to a stop, Myotismon raised her arm, claw-like fingers stretched.

"You are right," said Hikari, her calm unwavering to Myotismon's ear. "That question was unnecessary," did it imply something about her that she had bothered to ask? Hikari was sure.

Grin returning, Myotismon lowered her arm. Dagomon felt a bit disappointed by that outcome - Hikari kicking ass was always fascinating to behold. He could not get enough of that.

Hikari's face turned pensive. To arm her tainted partner with an army, and set her loose to conquer any and every world she pleased to... was an idea that she deemed viable. Not what she had intended in subjecting Gatomon to the Digiegg of Darkness, but a potentially satisfactory outcome.

She decided it best to leave it as a secondary tactic. "Depending on how the impending battle with our friends unfold, I might follow your suggestion, Myotismon. Is that good enough?" asked Hikari, and looked to Dagomon. "Any ideas, Dagomon?"

He responded with an indifferent shrug. "Have fun."

"One more thing, before I forget," said Myotismon. "Would either of you explain exactly how we teleported?"

Hikari took a momentary pause. "We do so by means of a program that all the Dark Ocean's people have access to. The software regards the multiverse as a four-dimensional construct, and lets us go everywhere simply by redefining our positions in space."

Myotismon responded with an indifferent scoff. "And would I be wrong to assume that you have more surprises in store, Kari?"

"'Hikari', please," corrected Hikari, "and probably not. You have seen my castle and my treasure chamber, met Deep Ones and visited both sides of the Dark World, learned how my dominion relates to the rest of creation and about the eternal drama that lingers between my two lives in Hell and on Earth. I can think of no other great secrets of the Dark Ocean that you might care to know about."

The vampire shrugged at that. She didn't really mind what Hikari wanted to be called.


	4. Contemplation of Darkness

The bedroom was quiet like the grave when Hikari slid into space.

What she now beheld was mostly wide-open space and the same faded colors that pervaded the realm, extending onward for quite a bit. In the distance, to the north, another exit was to see, appearing as little more than a dot to her eyes. The ceiling and the floor was entirely made from slate-grey steel, brightly polished and reminiscent of silver.

The lighting of the room was dim. All that served to illuminate this place was the quiet red glowing of eyes, and the lamp at the center of the ceiling. Beneath that center, her bed stood parked. It was a giant of a thing, almost fifteen square metres long between all four ends. An ocean of duvets laid above it, and a ton of pillows scattered both on the bed and around.

She looked nostalgically at the bed, recalling the times she had spent here, in peace and silence. Her smile changed a bit, when memories less peaceful and more loving got her attention. She dismissed that thought.

What other things did she have to do now? Burying herself in her bed and letting her thoughts wander for a few days did not particularly interest. Perhaps reassessing how the Digidestined were to be handled this time...

Three key factors laid behind all their victories. The most dangerous one, by far, was their ability to always somehow change the situation in their favor - a new friend like Ryo and Willis, a new Digivolution with either enough strength or exactly the right ability for the situation, or some other way. It had happened too often to be simple luck - it was a talent, and one that at the very least deserved to be recognized.

She stopped that train of thought to reflect that the bedroom's silence was a wonder in itself. Few places that she knew felt this conducive to free and endless thought. It almost felt like a thing of power all its own, a wall of quiet that nothing could break.

Dismissing that thought, she resumed her previous train of thought.

Perhaps equally crucial to consider was their friendships, and everything that that factor provided - emotional support, comrades to gang up on any individual enemy, many different abilities such as MagnaAngemon's Gate of Destiny and Imperialdramon for transport.

 _"What might they think of my analysis?"_  Hikari wondered, deciding it didn't matter. If she was correct, then Myotismon was tactically ideal to pit against them.

She decided after a moment's consideration that there were two holes in it. The one was that, quite simply, their ability to rewrite the whole equation would remain. The second was that they could defeat Myotismon by teamwork and sheer numbers.

What would serve her best? To adjust her plan and put everything into the first round, or design a secondary tactic if Myotismon was defeated or worse, killed? Unease filled her eyes at that thought, then subsided when a new thought occurred.

 _"No, no, that is a false dichotomy,"_ perhaps it would be optimal to change tactic instead of adjusting it.  _"Yes, maybe I should deploy the Dark Digidestined. A battle between the digidestined and their tainted other selves will be fun,_ _"_ they hadn't used that tactic in one-hundred-and-eighteen years, if memory served.

Her only question about that was whether to deploy absolutely everyone. It would be the pragmatic option, she supposed, but it would diminish her enjoyment of this drama to involve fighters - like Rosemon Ruin Mode and Yoshi, or Omnimon and Nokia - who did not have a counter-part to face. The Digidestined also deserved better.

A pensive frown settled on her face, she began to reconsider. However powerful the Dark Digidestined were, they weren't to her best liking. Perhaps she could create a new team of Dark Digidestined, or alternatively, she could corrupt those who were coming to be her minions.

'Dark Tai', the bearer of the Crest of Fear who was empowered by the terror of others, a savage BlackWarGreymon at his side; the thought of it appealed to her.

'Dark Sora', who possessed the Crest of Hate and commanded an Ornismon, a wicked woman who revelled in spreading death and destruction wherever she went.

'Dark Takeru' and 'Dark Davis'. Together, Daemon and Megidramon would make the end of the world a fiery one.

The Digimon Emperor, the lord of his land, a new prince of Hell who controlled an army of demons with Dark Helices and Control Spire, who had GranKuwagamon as his lead minion.

Now that she thought about it, what  _would_  be a good tainted form of Matt's Crest? Her initial ideas were Loneliness or Antipathy, but the former did not sound imposing enough and the latter was very close to being Hate by a different name. Valkyrimon also did not have any satisfactory demon form.

 _"A shame,"_ Hikari supposed. It would have been fun to play this round that way.

Dagomon slid into space a distance away from her, immediately spotting her. Her presence was unmissable, he decided to dabble in musing, especially so here where the ambient sensory input of the outer world was gone. She was, as that turn of phrase went, power incarnated in human form.

 _"Unlike everything else I have seen through eternity and across infinity,"_  Dagomon thought. She was a goddess and a storm. She was a seeming paradox, and yet none at all,  _"a_   _goddess, who had once been a mortal human, who reigns over the deepest pits of Hell,"_ but that was only fitting.

She was the Digidestined bearer of Light as Homeostasis had chosen her to be, the Lady of Light and the Queen of the Dark Ocean as she had been coronated.

That had always been true, even when she was human, lived a life of mundanity and yet had fought against great infernal powers. Dagomon wondered - what would her old friends say about that alternate biverse where she had become one with Homeostasis, ascended to divinity because of circumstances that had nothing to do with him? He couldn't imagine that they would be impressed by everything she had allowed to pass.

Dagomon sighed mentally. He was letting himself get sidetracked.

"Beloved, I wish to know how well you are acclimating."

She understood what he was getting at. She thought that she would have, even without those memories.

Hikari raised her hand, slowly balling and opening her hand, scrutinizing herself. It had never dawned on her as a human - not even to consider the idea - how heavy a body felt on the spirit, how tightly her flesh wrapped around her soul.

"I am well enough," answered Hikari, giving a smile, "and I still love you, rest assured of that."

Dagomon returned a smile, or at least what of one his face could make. He hadn't worried about that, but it was still something he quite enjoyed hearing.

"And if you have a quiet moment, perhaps we can take a moment to bond, you and I," Hikari said, innocent smile gone. In her eyes, he saw a distinct mood. He was only glad to indulge her.


	5. Gifts of the Gods

Hikari exhaled, almost gasping. Her robes were discarded, lying forgotten on the floor, and the literal glow from her eyes matched the figurative glow of bliss. Wordlessly, Dagomon drew his tentacle back.

"Is all this satisfactory?" asked Dagomon.

"Oh, very much," answered Hikari, voice heavy and husky. Silence reigned, for a moment's time. Then, she spoke. "Have you any plans for how best to deal with them?"

The good cheer in his eyes faded somewhat. "I believe I will go and recruit help for them, from among the warriors who know Hell."

Hikari's expression remained neutral. She thought that it would be fair that way. "Good luck."

Dagomon remained physically still, mentally defining his new coordinates. Briefly flickering with tricolore static, he vanished from her sight, and materialized above the sea.

 _"Who to choose?"_ he pondered while he fell in. It was only faintly that he recognized the impact, the sound of the splash, and the cold.

His eyes began to glow as he dived down, illuminating his surroundings further, lazily swinging his arm-bundles and leg-bundles to propel himself.

There were schools of Deep Ones in virtually every direction around him, whether near or far away. To say that there were thousands of them barely said it; to say that there were tens of thousands, now that looked a bit more right. Some were bigger than the others, a few even dozens of times bigger. A fair few of the sea-folk were merrily frolicking through the waters, doing three-sixty degree acrobatics for the entertainment of their companions.

Far ahead, barely a hundred metres down, a city built of dark stone and steel covered much of the seafloor as far as human eyes could see. Virtually everywhere in that city, there were Deep Ones out and about.

Clusters of towers of odd designs and decorations filled several parts of the region of the city that met Dagomon's eyes, raised passageways leading between some of them and the streets, all surrounded by tiny houses that at a glance would be beyond counting unless one was seriously bored and long-lived; a few of these houses had Deep Ones swimming inside of them while a few of the others had ones that were leaving.

Elsewhere, there were temples to see, statues of the Deep Ones' gods by their entrances. Elsewhere still was a colosseum where a few hundred Deep Ones were watching a pair of giant Deep Ones fight.

The sight pleased Dagomon. Not giving it much thought, he swam on. He scoffed mentally, chastising himself for asking what he already knew the answer to. Leaning back, he flapped his arm-bundles down.

* * *

"How's it going?" asked Tai as he walked into the office. He observed a red-haired girl and a yellow fox leaning against the wall by the left side of the room, with Cody, TK, Armadillomon and Patamon.

Izzy raised his head from the screen, meeting Tai's eyes. "Nothing."

"Define 'nothing'," requested Tai sternly, standing still.

"I mean nothing, Tai," answered Izzy. "I called Gennai, or the email address he gave me, and explained what's happened and what we want, but he hasn't responded back."

"There's gotta be some other way we can call Gennai," Tai borderline-shouted at Izzy, glaring, spreading his arms out at the office. "Look at all this gear."

Izzy looked apologetically at him. "I know that, Tai, but I still can't do everything."

"Let's look on the bright side," commented Agumon hoping to lighten the mood. "Maybe he's just sleeping, or reading his mail right now."

Tai hoped that was true. Izzy saw a new box on the lower-right screen, and a familiar yet more advanced sprite in it, eyes focusing. Spotting that, Tai rushed to his side, a wide grin breaking out on his face at the sight of Gennai.

"Am I glad to see you," greeted Tai.

"The feeling's mutual," returned the robed man, "but let's not waste time with pleasantries. I've contacted Azulongmon, who went to talk with the other Harmonious Ones, and they want to give you the power you're asking for."

"Awright," cheered Tai, giving a bright grin that immediately dimmed a bit. "Now, call me crazy, but is there a catch here?"

"Not from what I've heard," answered Gennai, "unless you count that they want to see you as soon as possible, and discuss things."

"Great," Izzy said. "We shouldn't need more than an hour to call everybody here, then we can-"

"I didn't mean 'you' in the plural, Izzy. I mean that they want to see you, Tai," Gennai cut in. "To help with the transport for you and the others, Homeostasis has given me permission to open a gate from here to where they're waiting."

Tai looked quizzically at the sprite-Gennai. "You can do that? Since when, and why didn't you do that for us back... back anytime we needed to go somewhere?!"

"I can do it with the same kind of program we put into the D3s to allow them to travel between the dimensions," explained Gennai, "and the reason I didn't before is that it would've taken too much of my energy to run the portal program so many times by myself. I could have, but it would've killed me if I tried. Izzy can probably explain it in more familiar terms if you want."

Tai and Agumon and Tentomon immediately looked to Izzy, as did Renamon from her spot. Ruki wasn't interested.

"It's basically like if Gennai's a computer running a program off one battery that can't be replaced or recharged," Izzy put in.

"Not while that mess was going on," Gennai put in, "and I already didn't have my full power because of an illness Piedmon had caused me."

"That ball we saw," Izzy reminded them. It was only half a question. Gennai gave an affirmative grunt. Cody decided he was officially lost. "I always kinda wondered what that was."

"I'm not surprised that you did," said Gennai, mentally defining the exit point.

In the middle of the room, the air began to shift, solidify. The outline of a red square appeared, red and green lines zigzagging and crisscrossing outwards from it. Rapidly, the outlined cube expanded, and the wireworks followed suit until a two-metre tall door in space occupied the center of Izzy's office. Through it, they could all see a sun-rich meadow.

A stern look on his face, Tai began to walk, Agumon following behind. Silence reigned while they went inside.

Tai immediately looked up, seeing Azulongmon floating in the sky, rays of light shining down from behind the serpentine dragon. Turning around, he saw them - a white masked tiger, a two-headed turtle with a forest on its shell, a bird with a plumage the colors of fire. All three of the animals were so big that they reminded him of VenomMyotismon.

"Those are some pretty big Digimon," Tai heard Cody say, and almost jumped - he hadn't heard the younger boy walk in.

"Yeah," the Digidestined of Courage agreed.

"Greetings and salutations," said Zhuqiaomon to the four, "young warriors. Your request for power has been heard and will be answered."

Tai grinned. Behind him, TK cheered at the news.

"However," Zhuqiaomon continued, "we will also implore you to stay your hand," Tai's grin died down. TK's glee morphed into a glare. "We understand well your pain and frustration over Kari's loss," he went on, "but what you plan to do is suicidal."

"Tai," it was Ebonwumon who now spoke, two female voices in unison, "are you aware of what resides at the center of this planet?"

"No," the brunet answered, his expression remaining annoyed despite his mild curiosity. Curiosity showed in Zhuqiaomon's eyes.

"At the core of the Digital World is what we know as the Dark Area, or Hell," Ebonwumon said. "It is where evil Digimon like Kimeramon and MetalSeadramon are sent after they die," the left-side head looked at TK and Patamon. "As I recall, you, TK, and Patamon have yourself seen Devimon on his way into the pit."

The memory of seeing Devimon in the whirlpool flashed to the forefront of TK's mind. "So that's what that was up with Devimon in that whirlpool."

"That is so," affirmed the turtle god. "The Dark Area is also a land of demon Digimon, inside a sphere of warped space. Daemon used to rule it as one of the Seven Great Demon Lords," she paused, pondering what else to tell them. "He escaped back when the Dark Masters caused the formation of Spiral Mountain, and in the chaos of Millenniummon's emergence, he took his chance to hide too well for us to find again."

"So there are more like him?" asked TK, smiling thinly. "Six more?" Daemon alone had been hard enough that they deserved a vacation, thought the flying pig-thing.

"There are," affirmed Ebonwumon, "though I doubt very much that you will need to someday face them. Your Crests were originally drained to reinforce the barrier between the Dark Area and the rest of the planet."

"Indeed," affirmed Baihumon, "You should know also that the World of Darkness is  _far worse_ than the Dark Area of this world, almost infinitely so. I know this because some time ago, we four explored the World of Darkness, and there we found things I still shudder to recall," he fell silent, unease filling his eyes. Tai almost didn't want to ask.

"During our exploration, I stumbled into one of its many accursed places, one far underground," he went on. "It was a white void where the mere act of moving felt like being pulled in every direction at once."

TK winced at that.

"Elsewhere, I found a labyrinth," Baihumon disclosed. "Its walls were made of fire, and a blizzard so dense that I could barely see endlessly swept through its passageways. The combined pains were nearly maddening."

A grave silence descended when Baihumon finished. Cody was glad he wasn't going alone.

"My friend," the sparrow-god looked the azure dragon's way. "Please tell me you have not been... yourself... again?"

"How I choose to interact with them is not your concern, Zhuqiaomon," Azulongmon returned, sternly. Tai stared uncertainly at the dragon.

"You are correct in that," said Zhuqiaomon. "How you keep the peace in your domain is not our affair. What is of concern to me is that you have apparently been so inattentive to them that that there are things they don't yet know of the Digital World, even after all this time."

"Zhuqiaomon speaks true," Ebonwumon voiced, and looked to TK, Cody, Armadillomon and Patamon. "Armadillomon, Patamon, TK, Cody, from what I understand, you four use DNA Digivolution to reach the Ultimate level. Has either Gennai or Azulongmon ever spoken to you of Slide DNA Digivolution?"

Cody and TK both looked quizzically at one another, then looked to their partners who seemed equally lost.

Zhuqiaomon shot Azulongmon a peeved look. "Surely not, Azulongmon? I can understand why you did not tell them the irrelevant particulars while the Control Spires were around, but have you truly not summoned the Digidestined to arm them with power and knowledge as well as you could at any time during these years since MaloMyotismon was slain and Daemon banished?"

"I did not think it was necessary," Azulongmon admitted sheepishly, then looked down. "Slide DNA Digivolution is a method of Digivolution that allows for the fused Digimon to change between the forms they can take."

They all looked only more confused.

"What do you mean, 'the forms they can take'?" parroted Patamon. On the other side, Izzy got up from his chair.

"Yeah," agreed Cody. "Isn't Shakkoumon, Paildramon and Silphymon everything?"

Baihumon looked at Azulongmon with surprise. "Have you not even told them that little, Azulongmon?"

Tai wondered what else Azulongmon hadn't told them about.

"I have not," Azulongmon admitted sheepishly. "DNA Digivolution is a method for a Digimon to achieve their next form, where the Digimon they fuse with provides the energy needed to ascend. The only real difference between a DNA Digivolution and using a Crest or a partner human is where the energy needed to ascend comes from."

Tai and TK and Agumon stared blankly. Cody looked pensive, briefly mulling that over, feeling reminded of FullMetal Alchemist.

"Hold on, Izzy told that DNA Digivolution combines our strongest pieces," returned Patamon, recalling that lecture. "How does your explanation fit with that?"

"If Izzy told you that," said Azulongmon, "then he was quite misinformed."

"So what you're saying is," Cody voiced, "that Shakkoumon is Ankylomon's Ultimate stage that we're giving Angemon to get? And, we could give Ankylomon and get MagnaAngemon back when they fuse together?"

"A good way of putting it, Cody," praised Ebonwumon. She decided there was no need to explain Warp DNA Digivolution. "You should already be able to perform the technique, because you have achieved the capability to DNA Digivolve."

"I wish you'd told us that sooner," Patamon said.

"Yeah," intoned TK.

"How does Omnimon fit into that?" asked Izzy as he walked through. "Isn't Omnimon a DNA Digivolution too?"

"No," Zhuqiaomon said simply. "Your Omnimon arises from a special type of Digivolution that we do not yet understand or have a name for, not DNA Digivolution."

"Ahem," said Azulongmon, loudly. "Perhaps we can return to the original topic of the Dark World and the abducted?"

Zhuqiaomon scoffed softly, beak curved slightly up. "Direct as always," he commented, then looked to Tai and Agumon.

"I urge you to reconsider, all of you," said the sparrow. "By now, they might very well have been killed, or worse yet, twisted beyond all means of help."

"That hasn't happened, I'm sure of it," said Tai, firmly, grinning. "Kari's a tough kid, and she's got Gatomon with her."


	6. Digidestined of Darkness

Hikari and Myotismon spontaneously appeared. The brunette looked curiously around, first seeing the fortress, then the landscape beyond. Myotismon joined her in looking out there.

The ground beyond the hill seemed scorched, pitch-black. The sky was covered by a sea of black clouds. In places, they saw lightning erupt. A fireball that reminded Myotismon of WarGreymon's Terra Force attack suddenly shot out of the sky, lighting everything around it up.

"Nice weather around here," remarked Myotismon, a moment later, while another ball of fire was coming down.

Hikari silently agreed, turning around to the building. "This place, Myotismon, is where the Dark Digidestined live."

"The 'dark' Digidestined," parroted Myotismon. The name sort-of said everything, she remarked mentally. "I think I can guess who they are and what they're about."

"You are likely close, but only that," she disclosed. Myotismon anticipated another lecture.

"They are the creations of a Gulfmon who lived long ago. It is far from a new idea," she related, conversationally. Myotismon suspected she was telling her this just to show off. "ZeedMillenniummon, during his war, made himself a squad of Tamers and Digimon as weapons against ENIAC. I imagine that Gulfmon thought he could do it better."

Myotismon couldn't disagree with that. She gave an indifferent shrug.

"Or perhaps he was inspired to make them because of Lilithmon, another demon lord who has managed her own faction of Dark Digidestined for... I will call it an eternity," Hikari disclosed. "Perhaps, Gulfmon was inspired by them both."

Myotismon rolled her eyes. "What, all three of them just decided to make their own evil twin armies? They've never heard of the word 'original', have they?"

Hikari smiled. "I cannot disagree, but to subvert the good and the heroic is a classic evil tactic, as you well know," Myotismon didn't see a reason to argue with that. "Besides which, I find that Gulfmon's way of going about the idea of a fallen Sora and Takeru is more imaginative than Lilithmon's. This is the one that I far prefer," she said. Myotismon looked intrigued.

"They show their corruption, and wear it proudly. The Sora that Gulfmon constructed walks with the demon bird Ornismon as her companion, where the one that Lilithmon recruited still has Phoenixmon like the one who lives on our earth," Hikari informed Myotismon.

"Their Cody has a companion in Leviamon the sea devil, while Sayo has Dianamon Whispered, and Takato has an demon dragon called Megidramon, Yoshi and Rosemon Ruin Mode, Neo and Arkadimon, and so onward," she listed off to the vampire, who grinned so widely that her fangs were laid bare. Hikari thought about mentioning the Jeri-Reaper, quickly deciding there was no reason to; Myotismon would meet her later, and the rest of them.

Her smile dimmed. "Now, as I was saying, the guild is one of Hell's greater powers. Not least among their talents is their access to all times and spaces, thanks to their Mastemon and DarkKnightmon."

Myotismon recognized neither of those, but she got the message. "I'm sold. So, we're here to recruit them?"

"Only the ones of them we would know from our world, at most," she said, and began walking towards the building, towards the section at the very middle of the front wall. The wall spontaneously slid to the left, and the inside of the room was revealed. The chamber that was now open to them was fairly unremarkable, not particularly large, and the interior decor was neither abundant nor extravagant.

"NeneShademon," Hikari called, sternly. Shadows began to pour into the room, leaking across the floor and walls from behind every door.

Eyes covered the shadow, faintly glowing a deeper red than Hikari's own. Hikari stood at ease, glancing with mild interest at the thousands of eyes that were now stared her down. Myotismon studied the shadow-covered room, with an amused grin.

"The eternal dance has entered another round," said Hikari, "and I wish to see the ones from my birth-world accompany me back home."

Of course it had, NeneShademon mentally sighed. What other reason would she have to come, after all these years?"

"I am afraid that will not be possible," a voice came from the shadows, almost perfectly calm to Myotismon's ear. "Only Takeru, TyrantKabuterimon, Raguelmon, and Cody are currently here. The others have all departed."

"If that is how it is, I will simply take my leave," said Hikari, neutrally. "Live well, NeneShademon, until we once more meet," the Queen in Yellow turned to leave.

"Same to you," said NeneShademon while she walked, "and good luck to you as well."

 _"Perhaps the Seven Great Demon Lords will be suitable as replacements,"_ she considered it in the moment it took to step outside, dismissing it.

Their seven virtues did not contrast their seven vices, beyond the dichotomy of Sora's Love and Lilithmon's Lust, and they didn't have a reflection for Yolei and the others. On top of that, she doubted she could control them all, especially if Ogudomon reunited.

 _"Another tactic, then,"_ she thought.

* * *

Dagomon spontaneously appeared, his body momentarily flickering, the sound of static coming off him. A bit to his right was a tall-backed couch, a soft blue color, whereupon the two humans sat, relaxing into each-other, watching a movie with a pair of Veemon who sat on the other end on the sofa with the popcorn bowl they had hogged.

Rina silently resolved to ignore him. Noting her silence, Davis decided against giving Dagomon the satisfaction. At once, their contented smile evaporated. Veemon sighed, loud. Veevee decided that whatever he wanted was probably more important, and got up.

"What is it this time?" the blue dragon asked wearily while he turned Dagomon's way. Veemon focused on the movie, tossing another lump of popcorn in-doors.

Davis sighed mentally.  _"If it isn't Mastemon and Mirei coming with shit to straighten out, it's the others-"_  now that he thought about it, where were they? Those people were all so entrenched in the timelines that nothing could kill them in any way that mattered.  _"That rules big stuff out."_

"A matter not quite as grandiose as normal, even somewhat mundane," Dagomon said, matter-of-factly.

Davis rolled his eyes at that, and Veemon mirrored that expression.

"The Digidestined of your alternate biverse is organizing a rescue mission," he didn't know that for certain, he mentally amended at Veevee's stare, but it was what he expected of them. Certainly, from his brother-in-law. "Their Kari has been summoned back to our realm and taken her throne there. Your strength, and knowledge of Hell, could greatly benefit them."

Davis began to remember, almost fifteen years back, how much of a mess that had been.

"You know today is our first day off from everything in two months, right?" Rina returned, annoyed. "Not that this doesn't sound fun and all..."

"My apologies," said Dagomon, giving a shrug of his shoulders. He doubted that it would help if he tried to rationalize matters, but perhaps it could. "If it would help you decide, I anticipate that it would only take you less than an hour to resolve this matter, at most two or three if everything should go wrong."

Veemon rolled his eyes again.

"Okay, fine," Davis said with a sigh, getting up. He walked over to Veevee, and faced him. "I'll help out. Just promise you'll knock this off sometime."

Unease filled Dagomon's eyes, even as he smirked back.  _"He makes it sound as though we repeat the exact same eternal drama every time..."_

In that memory, Dagomon found a bit of relief - that they had solved that was all the proof needed that they had not yet succumbed to stagnation. A dreadful thing, that was. He scoffed mentally, amused by a thought.

 _"_ _That is not dead which can eternal lie, a_ _nd with strange aeons even death may die,"_ Dagomon recited to himself.  _"My progenitor was more right than he could know, but I doubt he meant her with that bit,"_ he felt inclined to wax poetic about her, and decided to indulge himself.

Hikari. Kari Kamiya. A complex individual in the way that all humans were, yet the most wondrous and terrible one he had ever found on any earth. Her eyes, her beautiful red eyes alone, so often haunted his dreams, a sensation he speculated Davis would know as well.

Such was the power that was Kari Kamiya that spacetime could bend if she willed it to, be ripped into bloody chunks under the full force of her. She burned so brightly that the veils and membranes between planes could not shield his senses from her, that her reality could not ever contain her glory.

A memory, accompanied by a sour mood, came to Dagomon; one of a time when he had conquered planets across the dimensions for its own sake, tortured and enslaved people for its own sake.

The irony, Dagomon mused with mild amusement, was really quite remarkable. Some of Lovecraft's writings dealt with the topic of human sanity collapsing in the face of the otherworldly, yet here was a construct made to give the Cthulhu Mythos life, currently contemplating how he had been driven to madness by her mere existence.

Another memory returned to him, one of him in a cave deep in the sea. He was thrashing about, screaming for mercy in his madness, begging her to just die and leave him in peace. He silenced the memory, embarrassed by that fit of madness.

Veevee stared, wondering why Dagomon had spaced out, then decided it wasn't important.

"Any objections to calling Kari and Gatomon?" voiced Veemon, breaking Dagomon's reverie.

"Yes," Dagomon voiced. He wouldn't deny it was tactically sound. "Need I tell any of you my rationale?"

"No," it was Rina who answered, "but I agree it's a good call," she stood up.

Dagomon sighed. "If that is your decision, I will not belabor the point."

Elsewhere in Tokyo, in an apartment's bedroom, tranquility reigned. Beneath the bedsheets, wife and husband laid, smiling at one another, resting off his peaks. The phone on the bed-stand promptly rang.

Sighing in irritation, she grabbed it, and saw her caller was Davis.

"Your timing really isn't great," she told him. "What is this about?" Davis filled her in. "Right, same old. I'll ask Gatomon. If we're not there in five minutes, leave without us," she hung up.

Concern filled his eyes. She looked apologetically back at him.

"Another mission?" he wished to Heaven that she wouldn't go.

"You accepted it when you married me," she returned, semi-playfully. He wouldn't deny that.

He sat up. "You know what I mean, K."

"Yeah, just like you know I'm coming home without a scratch," she told him firmly, and got out of bed.


	7. Blast From The Future

"Kyubimon Warp Digivolve toooo!" the glowing fox howled, at the same time as the glowing armadillo shouted, "Armadillomon Warp Digivolve toooooo!", and the flying whatever-Patamon-was announced, "Patamon Warp Digivolve to!"

They shined so brightly so that they resembled tiny stars, erupting with light. Just to look directly at them hurt TK's eyes a bit.

Within a blue space, Kyubimon spun around, turning blue herself and releasing a blast of energy upwards. There, Taomon appeared, crafted in her entirety from those energies and appearing reminiscent of liquid metal. In turn spinning around, energy surge burst forth from the mage.

A white-haired humanoid figure in black now stood serenely upon a lake under a crescent moon, surrounded by pink-petaled trees. With a motion of her hand, the air rippled beside her, and fiery fox spirits raced to envelop her.

Within a grey space, Armadillomon spun and released a burst of energy. The grey-colored Ankylomon that had appeared turned in turn, and sending the surge further up. Shakkoumon appeared, grey-colored like those before him, leaning back and shooting the energies from his eyes further up.

A burly beast emerged, shields and maces quickly appearing from flashes of light. With another such flash, the bestial warrior gained color. His surroundings as well took on color and shape, becoming frozen ground. With a quick, sure-handed motion, he took a mace and swirled around, slamming the ground. In the distance, a mountain crumbled.

Within a golden space, Patamon's fur changed hue to match it, shooting a beam into the air. His color-changed Champion state appeared first, sending the beam further up, then his Ultimate form appeared to send it further still.

The armor of the entity that had appeared immediately took on coloration, sleek blue and silver and gold, while the area became an empty landscape. Five pairs of golden-white wings jutted from the angel's back. Spreading his arms wide, the angelic warrior glowed, so, so, so bright and intense that it was blinding. It faded quickly, and only the angel remained where there had been land.

The glowing and morphing figures began to quickly dim, and unveiled their forms for all to see. Their transformation were concluded with them saying their new names.

"Sakuyamon, huh," Ruki grinned, appreciatively inspecting the warrior mage. TK mirrored her expression, remembering Willis at the sight of Seraphimon.

"Do you like this body, Ruki?" Sakuyamon asked. There was something about the way she asked that made Tai think he should leave them alone. Flushing, the ginger returned a grin.

Cody looked Vikemon over again, from head to toe. He didn't understand how that Digivolution made sense, but decided to ask later, when Kari was saved.

Baihumon tilted his head, and Seraphimon was surprised to see surprise in his eyes. "Who are you, stranger?"

TK looked quizzical, looking around, then saw who he had meant. The others looked her way as well.

Out of the portal had stepped a woman with green hair - Cody stared on that transfixed, speculating that it was dyed - dressed moderately thickly, in a black turtle-neck and a pair of cargo pants. TK noticed that she had red eyes, and straightened up. Red eyes, he knew, never meant anything good.

"Hey, guys," Rina grinned and raised a hand in greeting. "I know you probably have a ton of questions, I sure as hell would. I'm Rina, and the low-down is that we've been asked to pop over and lend a helping hand. You guys ready to kick all hell's ass?"

Tai's eyes went wide at the sight of the blue dragons and the man who next stepped into his sight - a maroon-haired man garbed similarly to the woman, in a pair of black jeans, an open slate-grey jacket and a soft-blue shirt underneath, grinning to them and a hand raised in greeting.

"Davis," Cody voiced. It was not a question. Ruki was completely lost. "You're older, which means you time traveled to get here."

"That's about the size of it," he affirmed. Ruki rolled her eyes.

Another woman, dressed in a pink hoodie-jacket and white jeans, a white cat on her shoulder, emerged from the portal. Tai, TK, Cody and their partners all stared at her, Kari returning a smile. The four gods stared, taken aback at her arrival.

Cody's shock was replaced by a scrutinizing stare. After everything he'd seen, he doubted that an exact duplicate of Kari was harder to make than anything. Gatomon's Digivolutions were literally just building a human body and some other stuff. A beaming smile broke out on TK's face.

"Kari," Tai murmured, almost unconsciously approaching her. "No, don't tell me," he smiled thinly. TK's joy dimmed. "It's not as simple as you being back from the Dark Ocean, is it? That would be too easy."

"I'm sorry, Tai," she smiled wistfully. "We're not from your future, but from a parallel world. Which means that we still need to save your sister, which we will," she said, matter of factly. Azulongmon hoped so.

"Damnit," TK exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. He wanted to scream, because this - dangling his hope in front of him, then taking it back - was just cruel.

"Don't worry, TK," Seraphimon said resolutely, putting a hand on his partner's shoulder. "We  _are_  going to save her," he stressed the word, "and nothing will stop us."

TK smiled. "You're right, Seraphimon, we just have to keep faith," a bit of unease, of doubt, lingered in his eyes.

"You said it," Davis intoned, voice one of good cheer.

"What's Rika and Renamon doing here?" Veevee asked. The locals all were mildly surprised by his voice, compared to the Veemon they knew.

Ruki wasn't particularly paying attention anymore. Sakuyamon looked uncertain where they had gotten the name 'Rika' from.

"Oh, this is Ruki," Seraphimon answered. "She's a parallel version of Rika from our world."

Davis shrugged, indifferently. It was far from news to him, not since he'd met the other Tai long ago.

"We've asked them to help out with getting Kari back from the Dark Ocean," TK elaborated. The same one reaction came onto the faces of the new arrivals - alarmed surprise.

"You've what?" asked Gatomon, tightly, while Davis exclaimed, "Shit," and Kari raised her hand to her hand, sighing.

All the locals, humans and Digimon both looked confused, even Ruki.

"What's the problem with that?" Agumon wondered.

"In any other situation, there wouldn't be one," said Rina. "In this situation, you might as well ask them to join a suicide pact."

Sakuyamon wondered if it was too late to back out. Seraphimon wasn't sure what a suicide pact was, but he could tell it wasn't a good thing.

"Please, tell me you haven't asked anyone else to join as well?" Davis asked.

"We haven't asked anyone else to join, and that's a promise," Vikemon answered chipperly. The six all glared daggers back, Gatomon leaping down from Kari's shoulder.

"There are things you just don't joke about, ever," Gatomon was almost shouting. "Did you, yes or no?"

For a moment, there was silence.

"Yeah," Tai smirked back. "We have, and we're not changing the plan just because you say so. We're saving Kari, no matter what."

Rina and Davis looked at each-other, briefly. Then, they looked back at Tai.

"Izzy," said Davis sternly, "can you call everybody, have them assemble back here?" Izzy's look asked for elaboration. "They, and your group, deserve to make an informed decision."

Without answering, he stepped forward, and quickly made his way back inside.

* * *

A hypothetical camera observed the office.

At the room's center stood a hole in space to a grassy knoll, and a handful of black-coated couches around it where a lot of the humans, and a few Digimon, were seated. Davis and Rina sat in the second one on the left, opposite his younger self and Yolei. The elder man sat leaned back, elbows relaxed on the top of the back. Ken and Mimi, their partners in their laps, occupied the neighbouring one.

Ruki and Sakuyamon stood off at the brown wall, both leaning against the wall, the ginger with her arms folded. TK occupied another couch with Matt and Gabumon, Seraphimon at his back. Izzy and Tentomon were where else but behind the computer, where the rip in space lingered. Shuu and Joe sat side-by-side in the second couch on the right, their Gomamons on their laps, and Jun sat beside him, her Veemon by her.

"In a nutshell, they told us that DNA Digivolution doesn't work the way I originally thought, and Daemon is from a place in the Digital World called the Dark Area," Izzy summarized to Matt.

Yolei and Hawkmon looked surprised. Yoshi looked equally confused, over in their corner of the office. ... actually, so did a few people. Ruki didn't care.

"How do you mean?" Wormmon inquired. "How does it work, then?"

"Apparently, it just works by the second Digimon empowering the first, like what our Crests do, or how Azulongmon's DigiCore did," Izzy disclosed. "When you and Veemon DNA Digivolve into Paildramon, you're actually helping ExVeemon to reach his next form. It's actually really fascinating to consider."

Seraphimon piped up, "Apparently, we can also DNA Digivolve me to MagnaAngemon, and you to whatever your Ultimate form is. There's also a trick called Slide DNA Digivolution that means we can change between them. Shakkoumon to MagnaAngemon and back again, Paildramon to whatever your Ultimate form is and back again."

Wormmon couldn't particularly say he liked that explanation very much. The door opened just as the larva was about to give his thoughts.

Keiko stepped into the office, so awestruck by what she saw that she stopped dead.

Around the room, Keiko saw  _them -_ the rest of the twelve true Digidestined and their partners, Izzy and Tentomon behind the computer. Giant computer systems stood off at the side of the room, contained within a glass box. At the center of the room, there was something she didn't know what was, through which she saw a meadow.

All eyes turned to her - what they saw was a brunette, dressed in a black tank-top and skirt, with a SnowAgumon, accompanied by a ginger dressed in soft-colored clothes, light-orange jeans and a red shirt marked with the number thirty-eight. Behind them came a tanned girl likewise dressed lightly, a red hoodie and a green skirt, accompanied by a walking fire.

Sora stepped past her, Biyomon flying over her head, with Mina and Meramon. Seeing the admiration on her face, TK grinned. Tai looked surprised at the Digimon with her, a white lizard with wide green eyes.

"Yo, Keiko," commented SnowAgumon, poking a claw into her stomach and getting her attention. "We ain't got all day, so quit day-dreamin'."

Snapping out of her reverie, Keiko blushed. "Right, understood," she answered, bowing to them. "It's a honor to work with all of you," another girl - short brown hair, dressed in a soft-colored green skirt and a tank-top - walked past her as she spoke, accompanied by a small red dragon.

In unison, Kari and Gatomon eyed the Shoutmon, a bit taken aback, then looked to Noriko. Gatomon hadn't seen one of them since Quartzmon. Sora stared blankly at the green-haired woman, who returned a coy grin.

"Please," Davis the elder said, giving a smile, gesturing to the couch closest to her, "take a seat."

She was quick to do so. Davis contemplated where to begin.

"Okay, now that we're all here," Rina spoke sternly, "let's begin. We'll have to skip formal introductions for now," she raised her hand to Sora and company, "because you're in some serious shit. You all probably know that this world's Kari Kamiya and her Gatomon have been taken to a dimension called the Dark Ocean," she said. Meramon got the hint - they were from another world.

"Look," Yolei cut in, tone brooking no argument, "I get that you've got important information to share, but we're short on time. We've already spent a few hours just getting people together, so make it quick."

Rina replied, "What you probably don't is what kind of place it is, or who's behind their abduction, or why they did it. That's what we're up to get you up to speed on," her voice had an edge of nervousness. "The simplest answer to the first question is that it's Hell, plain and simple."

"That should give all of you a good idea about what we're dealing with here," Davis commented.

Unease spred across the room, on the faces of many; a few looked unconvinced, a few more uncertain. Tai shot him a peeved look. Truth be told, he was getting fed up with people beating him over the head how oh-so-scary this other world was. On the other side of the hole in space, Azulongmon wished that Tai would listen to them.

"Just in case anyone wants or needs a clearer picture, imagine an endless and ever-changing nightmare, both in terms of Hell's geography and inhabitants," Kari said. "As a more concrete example, imagine a dimension where there's hundreds, perhaps thousands, of both VenomMyotismon and MaloMyotismon, and countless other species of demon," nobody wanted to imagine that, Shuu thought. A look around the room confirmed his suspicion of that.

"The really big deals in Hell tend to qualify as Lovecraftian, if you're familiar with his work," Davis disclosed. Shuu promptly looked confused, like a few others did. Mimi did not like where this was going.

"Lovecraftian?" he parroted. "You're joking, right?"

"No," Kari answered. "There's literally a Cthulhu Digimon in Hell, and an Azathoth Digimon too," Shuu couldn't suppress a grin at the thought.

Learning that he lived in a universe, or multiverse, where Lovecraft was right was not what he had expected from today. Even less, that there were people out there for holding the endless dark at bay. He loved every bit of the idea.

"So we could actually fight a Cthulhu Mythos monster. I call dibs on Nyarlathotep," said Mimi, a coy smirk forming. Shuu leaned back in his seat, looking at her with surprise. Mimi looked around, seeing widespread surprise, and knowing smiles from Davis, Rina, Kari, and Matt. "Guys, you know that I read scifi. Is it really so weird I know what the Cthulhu Mythos is?"

Their reactions varied from lingering surprise to lingering disinterest. Izzy supposed that made sense.

"Who's your favorite author?" Shuu asked.

"Heinlein's where it's at," Mimi returned.

"On the subject of Lovecraftian abominations," Kari interjected, "how many here have heard of what happened to Willis Gladstone's Lopmon?" Yoshi didn't think there was anyone who hadn't. It was one of the weirder and spookier stories of the Digimon community, up there with Millenniummon and the Dark Spore, and Catherine Deneuve's trip into the future.

The real question was if you believed those things had actually happened. Well, that, she mentally amended, and what conspiracy theories you had heard, like the one that there was a timeloop going on. The Emperor had created Millenniummon who had created the Emperor.

"Of course we have," Ruki bit back. "So that's where that came from?"

"Yeah," Kari answered. "One of these Cthulhu Digimon, called Dagomon, is the ruler of the Dark Ocean and of the Deep Ones," recognition flashed in Mimi's and Shuu's eyes at the name.

She looked to TK. "TK, Seraphimon, in the fiction that's given rise to to Dagomon and Azathomon, there's a race of sea creatures called Deep Ones that worship Cthulhu and like to breed with humans. Sound familiar?"

"Oh yeah," TK answered, a frown on his face from the memory. "Is it them again?"

"No," she answered. Glancing around the room, she saw that some like Keiko were a bit confused. "To get everybody up to speed on that part, in both this world's 2002 and my world's, a group of Deep Ones summoned us because they wanted to make kids with us," her voice held an undertone of disgust at that.

"They wanted to make kids with a kid?" Yoshi echoed, scowling, her disgust mirrored by many of the others present.

"Believe me, nobody approved," Kari assured. "That's why they were locked up and shackled when I found them," Shuu looked quizzical, as did Matt and a few of the others.

"Wait, you're saying they were locked up," parroted Seraphimon, "for something they hadn't done yet? How does that work?" Shoutmon wondered why he was trying to make sense out of all this.

Kari was grateful he asked. She hadn't known how to segue into that. "How many people in this room have heard of a concept called 'eternal recurrence'?"

Shuu had. Kari looked around, seeing some confusion. "Basically, the entire situation we're in has happened before. Almost fifteen years ago," now that she thought about it, where was this world's Meiko and Meicoomon? She decided to shelve it for now, "we faced Dagomon and others from the Dark World when our earth was invaded."

Ruki decided against commenting it sounded fun. Davis's expression darkened at the memory, particularly the Lady of the Unliving. Seraphimon supposed that was something of an explanation. On a few faces and a few more, horror broke out.

Kari smiled thinly. "Don't worry, we all survived," it wasn't a lie, not even a half-truth, Davis knew. He could forgive her for omitting the whole story. "And nowadays, we're the ones who beat back hell on every earth as our hobbies. Does anyone have a question about any of this?"

A fair few of them still looked confused to Veevee's eyes, but nobody asked. A moment later, the silence lingered in the room.

"Whatever," Ruki shrugged. A few people looked at her, surprised. Davis straightened up in his seat;  _that_ hadn't been the reaction he was anticipating. "You guys get into crazy adventures all the time, isn't this just kinda par for the course?"

Matt smiled sheepishly. Rina didn't keep herself from laughing, her head thrown back. The sound pleased the older Davis's ears.

"That's so cool!" Davis exclaimed, Veemon mirroring his glee.

A grin had broken out on Rina's face. "You want cool? Try this on for size. In our time, a MaloMyotismon and VenomMyotismon isn't a problem for any two of us. We handle the real threats, armies and the like," Davis, impossibly, looked even more excited at the thought.

"I have a question," said Keiko, a smidge nervous, hand raised. "Basically, this World of Darkness place, it's like the Demon World from Yu Yu Hakusho?"

Rina laught. Of all the comparisons she could imagine, that one was far from the top. "Actually, yeah, that's accurate," Keiko thought about asking if they were going to do like Archer and try to kill Davis, deciding not to.

Kari's expression turned into a frown. "That leaves just the question of why Dagomon is after me, but I guess you all can work that one out?"

"That Crest of Light thing or whatever you call that," Lalamon voiced what everybody were thinking.

"Yeah," Kari affirmed, trace nervousness in her voice. She thought about telling them that it was where this trouble had begun, with Homeostasis forging it in her soul. "Dagomon and his worships knows of the power Homeostasis gave me, the power that both Sora and TK have seen manifest years ago," memories flashed into their minds.

For Sora, it was seeing Kari spontaneously glow. For TK, it was seeing a mirage in the air and leaping through to another world.

"And what I can do with it. Back then, he summoned me because he thought that having it made me more than human. He wished to help me grow, learn to tap into that power at will, which might be what he wants this time too."

Nobody particularly looked surprised anymore.

"Soooo, she's not actually in danger?" asked Lalamon. A few people nodded and voiced their agreement. Tai's expression darkened.

Davis responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "We can't say for sure. Dagomon doesn't reason like we do, like most creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos, and on top of that, his feelings towards Kari are complex to say the least. I'd rather not take the chance, though," Tai agreed, as did the others.

"Look," Gatomon broke in. "We're losing sight of the bottom line here. The question now is, how many of you are prepared to risk both life and soul to try and save her?"

The atmosphere tensed, almost tangibly to Keiko.

"Let's be clear here," Davis said. "This is not a 'first twelve Digidestined only' thing. We're saying this to them as much as the rest of you, because it would be ideal if only the most powerful few goes, and that means us plus Tai, Matt and Omnimon. Make sure you're sure about this," he finished gravely.

"I am," Mina answered. "I'm going to admit, all I really wanted was to spend a day with Keiko, but if Kari's in trouble, I have to help. It's just the right thing to do, isn't it?" she asked, looking to the fire demon next to her.

"I guess I'm in, too," Meramon answered.

"Same here," answered SnowAgumon. "She's helped save both our worlds from terrors like the Dark Masters and Myotismon. This is the least we can do to pay her back for that."

A nervous frown filled Joe's face. Gomamon watched him with concern. "I don't think I'm going to join you this time, guys," he murmured.

Tai immediately looked at him, glaring daggers once the shock had died down. All eyes were either on him or Joe.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Tai snarled. TK and Davis and Yolei all joined him in glaring at Joe. "Kari could be going through who knows what, and you're just gonna abandon her?"

The sour taste of guilt came over Joe. "I know Tai, but," he trailed off, sighing. There was no way this wasn't going to sound bad. "I have a life, Tai. I have responsibilities, exams to study for. I can't just drop everything to go off on crazy adventures into other dimensions."

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked to see Shuu's smiling face.

"Relax, Joe, they've got this," Shuu voiced, glancing Tai's way.

"He's got a point, Tai," the older Davis said, standing up to face him. "We've got enough firepower as it is, and Cody and Armadillomon to supply a Vikemon. Joe can safely bow out if he wants," he nodded to Joe.

Davis couldn't count the number of times they had thought about it - thought about cutting worlds-saving from his list of obligations, just deal with the restaurant and social life and dinner dates. The least he could do was help Joe step out.

"I think we're gonna back out," said Yoshi, "unless Lalamon wants to," Lalamon shrugged, paws raised and everything.

Kari smiled at the sight. At least, they weren't coming.

"Very well," Azulongmon's voice rang out. "If you will not relent, then come before the gods and be empowered."

Shuu imagined that it didn't escape anyone what they meant by 'gods', or so he inferred from nobody asking. He glanced around, seeing no particular confusion about that. He was only glad for that - this had been the most verbose few minutes he'd spent in a while.


	8. Final Preparations

The humans stood scattered around the meadow in a small group, the ones soon to be empowered standing around them and away from them in their own directions, their Veemons standing beside the Motomiyas and Gatomon by Kari.

The beast gods towered over them all, each in their direction. There was nothing to hear as the forty-seven spheres glowed, and released orbs of heavenly light that flew towards the scattered Digimon.

Meramon felt only heat when the ball entered him, a burning unlike any he had ever felt.  _"I almost cannot stand it. Heh. Mina would probably think that's funny."_

Before their eyes, the glowing creatures began to metamorphose, all growing taller and one growing far taller still, all calling out their names along with 'Warp Digivolve toooo'.

Within Meramon, the stream of energy was blasted from Meramon, up to the dark-skinned being called Asuramon, and from the four-armed Ultimate further up. Within Biyomon, Birdramon and Garudamon appeared in rapid succession. A four-winged bird appeared, and a colossal blaze engulfed it. Within Palmon, Rosemon was standing with open arms at the center of a vast and colorful meadow underneath a bright sun.

And within moments, Shoutmon had settled on about thirty metres of height, a wide-winged dragon. He announced hmself as Examon while the glow died down. A handful of other names were announced as well - Phoenixmon from the golden bird, Valkyrimon from the white warrior, GranKuwagamon from the black beetle, HerculesKabuterimon from the golden beetle, and others.

Closest to GranKuwagamon stood an armored dragon, with a deep-blue hide and red eyes, that greatly dwarfed him. Amazement filled Ken's and Davis's eyes, both mouths agape. Where Hawkmon had just been was a swordsman who smiled back at Yolei. Keiko saw a tall figure in heavy red armor, whose helmet resembled WarGreymon. Mina was met with a fiery-winged man, armored in scarlet and gold. Jun, with a masked blue dragon that laid curled up.

Kari arched an eyebrow at what Shoutmon had become, deciding it not surprising after a moment's thought. Given how differently their Digital World worked from theirs, it would have been stranger to see OmniShoutmon here.

"Is that Aldamon?" GranKuwagamon asked at the same time as Azulongmon asked, "Is that another of my kind?"

At once, Mina and Aldamon looked with confusion at the beetle.

"And just when I thought something was impossible in the Digital World," Mimi bemoaned good-naturedly. Rosemon nodded in agreement, while a few others like BlitzGreymon looked lost.

"It's a long story, and we'll tell you once this is over," Matt was quick to inform them, while the gods and Jun inspected the other Azulongmon. Aldamon supposed that was good for now.

Ignoring their conversation, Noriko walked towards Examon, looking at the dragon with reverent awe. Examon smiled back, and went down on bent knee.

"What do you think?" asked Examon.

"'Awesome' sounds good," Noriko said with a grin, and raised her balled hand. Examon returned the gesture.

"We can admire our Digimon later," Tai called out to them all. A few of them responded agreeably, none of them disagreeing.

"There is one more thing that I wish to tell you, before you depart," Baihumon voiced. Everybody present looked up at him. "Each of you humans alone are able to elevate your respective to their Mega form again without any other kind of external assistance such as us or DNA Digivolution. Remember that when the power we have given runs out."

The mood that ensued among them was one of widespread confusion among the locals.

"But we don't have a Crest, or whatever you call that crap," Ruki countered, saying what Cody was thinking. TK simply stared, doing the world's third-best impression of a goldfish.

"Indeed not," answered Baihumon, "nor do you need one. Their primary function is to serve as stabilizing agents against Dark Digivolutions. Agumon can only draw on Tai's Courage, but Kyubimon can draw on all Ruki's emotions, positive and negative."

This explained a lot to Cody - all the people they'd met in other dimensions could all Digivolve their partners to the Mega level. "At least that's simple."

"In other words, the seven of you are less able than others to evoke Digivolution in your partners, not better able, because of your Crests," Baihumon continued. "I tell you this because I believe the first ones of you have forgotten this truth over the years since Homeostasis told you of it."

A pensive frown broke out on TK's face. Patamon laid himself down on his shoulder, giving a reassuring smile, getting a smile from him in return. A smug smirk filled Ruki's face.

"I will not deny that achieving such heights will be supremely difficult, but I have faith in you all to succeed," Baihumon finished. "Good luck, Digidestined."

Gatomon nodded to Kari, and Kari wordlessly raised her hand, fingers extended. Her eyes focused, and her hand freakin' began to freakin' glow. A small ball of lavender light formed in the air, just shy of her finger-tips. At the sight, TK recalled seeing the projection of Kari's image appear before them, years ago.

Rapidly expanding, the people around her saw a strange beach through through the ring, a world drained of color. Shuu felt cold just looking at it, and grinned. "So that's the Dark Ocean, huh?" scrutinizing it, he spotted a shadow-beaming lighthouse.

On the other side, a Deep One turned away from the widening portal. This, she knew her masters would like to hear. Far away, in the sea, Dagomon felt the familiar pain flare up, almost threatening to burn every bit and part of him whole. He anticipated seeing her again, despite the circumstances. With him had swum the ugliest damned sea-serpent in the whole world, now looking at Dagomon with uncertainty in all his eyes.

Kari lowered her hand, the portal now so wide that that pretty much anyone around here could pass through it.

"If everybody's ready," Keiko said, sternly, "we're going in," BlitzGreymon shot her a knowing look. The girl flushed, smirking defiantly.

Kari piped up. "Actually, I think I would appreciate a minute alone on the other side first," almost everybody promptly looked questioningly at her. There's a Digivolution method called Biomerge, where the partners become one Mega level. The human turns naked, so you can see my hang-up."

Examon huhhed. He had always imagined that it would be called Human DNA Digivolution, but he was still happy to hear that his logic was right. Now he could rub it in Keiko's face. The thought brought a smirk to his face.

"Holy crap," Davis breathed, eyes almost physically gleaming with excitement. "So you're not just me from a future world where I'm a super-smart badass, but you can Biomerge like Takato's crew too?"

Ruki concluded that this 'Rika' probably had her earth's Takato as a friend too. She liked that idea.

"You got it," the older Davis answered, a small smile on his face. Meeting his past self was always fun. He was a dumbass at times at that age, but he had plenty of things that made up for it.

"I think I heard about that from Joe once," Shuu thought aloud. "Sure thing, go ahead," briefly thanking him, Kari and Gatomon went through and past the left edge. A call of "Gatomon Biomerge toooo!" was heard, and a bright light seen, just as quickly followed by the announcement of the name Magnadramon.

Confusion broke out on TK's face. "Your Gatomon doesn't Digivolve into Ophanimon?"

Magnadramon decided to indulge him. A shout of "Magnadramon Slide Evolve toooo!" rang out, along with more light, and the declaration of "Ophanimon".

Walking back into view, Ophanimon said with raised voice, "Like Matt said, we can tell you the story later," TK looked forward to that.

Looking to Ophanimon, Davis went across with Veemon and out of sight. Shuu wondered why this Slide thing was called 'Evolution' when everything else was called Digivolution. Another round of announcing accompanied by a lightshow ensued, and Imperialdramon came into their view.

As Rina and Veevee silently began to walk across, GranKuwagamon said, "If it's fine with you guys, I'll rather DNA Digivolve," to Ken.

"Yeah, you're right," Ken replied. "It's more our style, anyway," another declaration of 'Veemon Biomerge to' rang out, followed by the name 'UlforceVeedramon'.

Imperialdramon and GranKuwagamon began to glow, reverting to Rookie. As Davis and Ken held their D3s up, TK and Cody looked at each-other and nodded, Seraphimon and Vikemon reverting as the dragon and the worm began to glow, blue and dark-green respectively. Tai and Matt did the same.

Trails of green and blue light in their wakes, an unseen force pulled Wormmon and Veemon together, a blaze of light erupting where they collided along with a declaration - "Veemon/Wormmon Warp DNA Digivolve toooo," instantly taking the shape of Imperialdramon, the Digivolution's light cleared from the dragon.

No matter how many times Ken saw the DNA Digivolution, the beauty, the power, he wouldn't ever get tired of it. The older Davis wasn't liking how he felt about this -  _"How long has it been, Vee?"_

Simultanously, the dragon declared "Imperialdramon Slide DNA Digivolve toooo" at the top of their lungs, while Patamon and Armadillomon were pulled together, streaks of yellow and orange light behind them. Almost immediately, Seraphimon took shape again and Imperialdramon had turned into the black beetle. The knight in shining white towered over almost all, save the Examon.

"Now let's move out," TK called out, "unless anyone else wants to waste more time with transforming and talking."

Ophanimon smiled sheepishly. None of them spoke while they walked across. Arms behind her head, Mina thought about making a joke while she followed Aldamon across.

"There's a Deep One town a bit away from here, called Innsmouth," Ophanimon said eventually, while BlitzGreymon followed Keiko across. Shuu rolled his eyes. "With a little luck, that's where they've taken her."

Tai nodded, glancing up towards the cliff-front, resolute, vengeful.


	9. First Blood

Hikari stood by the edge of the platform, glancing out towards the sea. Myotismon was with her, idly gazing out there as well. The waters stretched as far as either of them could see, dense mist in the far distance. Up above, a cloudless dark sky and a simulation of a silvery full moon.

She released a contented sigh, memories rising up in her.

Waking up in cold sweats from dreams of the Ocean and the Deep Ones, her headspace in tumult on those mornings. Biting back her tears and anxieties, so they wouldn't worry. For weeks before and after, hearing the voice of the elder god in her dreams and knowing fitful sleep. Facing Blossomon, and feeling the Dark Ocean rise up for her.

In hindsight, she wanted to laugh at herself for dreading it. The peace and quiet of her Dark Ocean was but one thing of many that there was to enjoy about it.

"Myotismon," she said. Myotismon turned her head. "I know that this might not be the most fitting moment, but I wish to say it regardless," she trailed off, a smile growing on her face. "I love you."

A mixed mood, elation and disdainful disinterest, came over Myotismon.

"You are, and always have been, everything I wish for in a sister," Hikari said. Myotismon's lips settled into a slight smile. Scrutinizing Hikari for any sign of deceit, she found none. "I would be happy if you would let me call you that, occasionally."

Stepping forward, Hikari draped her arms around her. Myotismon looked immediately quizzical. Her first instict was to push her away, to kill her for this indignity, yet... she liked this. Uncertainly, Myotismon returned her embrace, whispering her assent. Pleased, Hikari broke the hug, her eyes meeting Myotismon's.

"There's just one thing I'd like to know," Myotismon said. Hikari looked curious. "You're the other Kari you mentioned earlier, aren't you? That's why you know all this stuff about the World of Darkness now, isn't it?

Hikari's expression mildened. "I am what and who I said I was, Myotismon. I am Kari Kamiya, the Digidestined of Light, and I am Hikari, the Dark Ocean's queen. Two souls reborn as one, with everything that implies," she trailed off, uncertain of what more to say.

"I understand why you doubt my sincerity," Hikari said softly. "I must seem so strange to you," Myotismon couldn't disagree, "but there is still enough of the Kari you knew in me to mean what I said."

Myotismon decided to trust that, a smile forming on her face. Hikari smiled back, the two savoring the silence.

"I would like you to change back," Hikari said eventually. "Become the cat I know you best as."

Umbral light erupting from the vampire, she began to shrink. When the light faded, there was a small black cat there, looking at her with happy golden eyes. Hikari thought,  _"As expected,_ ", and held her arms out, smiling. BlackGatomon eagerly jumped into her arms.

The sight of a dark figure, in the corner of her eye, caught her attention. BlackGatomon followed her glance, deeming the sight - a Deep One - uninteresting.

"My queen," she spoke, "they have come."

"Thank you for these news," Hikari said as she got up. The Deep One woman watched her expectantly, hoping to otherwise serve. Hikari watched the area shift as the travel software executed. A grid spontaneously formed on top of the surrounding space, extending barely twenty metres ahead and less than half that distance upwards.

Given a mental command, the linework of the grid expanded outwards and upwards, soon reaching beyond where her eyes could follow. With her mind's eye, she could see every part of the area, including BlackGatomon and herself. Far away, she could see them heading towards Innsmouth.

Mild surprise showed on Hikari's face, born of the group's sheer size, as well as the ones she hadn't expected to see - a Sakuyamon, an UlforceVeedramon, an Aldamon, an Examon, an Azulongmon, a second Imperialdramon, a BlitzGreymon, and an Ophanimon. Mina's presence surprised her most.

 _"It would seem that Takuya is not the only one in the multiverse with access to Aldamon. What might they make of that?"_ thought Hikari, scrunching over with confusion when she noticed the absence of Armadillomon, and the presence of Rika outside Sakuyamon.

She grinned with anticipation at the coming battles. It was a rare thing to see regular people like Keiko and Noriko and Mina and their partners in Hell.  _"Who to choose first?"_

Over where they were, Tai suddenly began flickering, Matt's shout of "What's happening to Tai?!" drawing their attention to him. TK gasped, immediately recognizing the visual effect, as did the three Biomerged pairs.

Davis and Izzy broke into a sprint, their arms extended. Both grasped thin air. Omnimon glared at Ophanimon, silently demanding an explanation. Several of the others willed their surprise down, and joined the knight in that.

"We can't say anything with certainty," Ophanimon answered, sternly. "This could have been Dagomon, or any Deep One, and they could've taken Tai anywhere."

Izzy tried to not think about what this meant, didn't want to. Nervousness filled his eyes at the thought.

"Holy crap," Examon breathed, a grin on his face. "So, correct me if I'm wrong, these Deep One things can teleport us anywhere they want, anytime they want to?"

Dismay filled several faces. After looking around, Sora wondered what she could say to lift their spirits. TK and Yolei simultaneously realized that they were playing with them - it was the only explanation they each could think of for why Dagomon hadn't dumped them in a volcano already.

 _"No wonder they could get to Kari so easy the first time,"_ Yolei thought anxiously. "How do we stop that?"

"It's a psychic ability, so we just attack them and break their focus," Ophanimon answered, in Gatomon's voice. A few of them, Rosemon among them, relaxed visibly at that.

A hallway met Tai's eyes. Everything, the floor and the walls and the ceiling, seemed carved from what appeared to be midnight-black crystal. On the right side, he saw windows, and a series of lamps built into the walls opposite them.

Behind him, Hikari and BlackGatomon slid into space. Lingering bits of the grainy static effect surrounded them, a notch forming in BlackGatomon's ear for a second.

"Hello, Tai," she called out. The brunet spun, seeing her and froze, struck by her yellow robes and glowing eyes. She gave him a wide grin, and he immediately remembered Myotismon. The alarm bells went off in his head, but he told himself to ignore that.

"Whatever is the matter?" she asked, her voice mocking - something that he hadn't ever heard from her before. "Do you not have anything to say?"

That clinched it for him. "Who are you?"

Hikari feigned surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Drop the act, Dagomon," Tai barked. "You've got her face, but you're nothing like Kari. Tell me where she is, now."

A small smile came onto her face. "I assure you, Tai, that the one who stands before you is the girl you came to find."

Tai glowered. Hikari sighed.

"Very well, brother. Truthfully," her tone definitely reminded him of Myotismon, "I was hoping you would deny me," her grin returned. It almost made Tai sick to look at. That look belonged on somebody like Myotismon, not on Kari, never.

"Tell me, brother," she asked. "Would you believe that I am your sister if I showed you what has made me into this?"

"Not a chance," Tai grunted. "When I find Agumon and the others, we're going to kick your ass and make you set Kari free again," there wasn't the slightest doubt in his voice.

It didn't really matter to her if he believed it. She glanced at the cat, and BlackGatomon leapt down, glaring at Tai. He glared back at the cat.

"Wow, congratulations," Tai remarked acidly, eyes darting to Hikari. "You've actually put some effort into your Kari's-evil-twin act."

"Is this truly how you wish to spend your last moments?" Hikari asked, disappointed. Tai rolled his eyes at that, regretting his statement already. She glanced to BlackGatomon. "LadyDevimon."

Thinking the name, the cat glowed again, turning several times taller almost before than Tai had time to blink. The light faded, and revealed a humanoid figure with chalk-white skin, dressed in black leather clothes along with chains.

LadyDevimon began walking towards Tai, smiling a sadist's smile. Tai glared back.

"If that is so, I will gladly play along," Hikari called out with a grin, Tai turning away and sprinting off. "Your efforts are in vain, Tai," she mocked, her voice almost reverberating across the hallway. "You can neither run nor hide from us, in this place. Give in."

Ignoring her, Tai scanned the area ahead of him, wishing for a door or something to lose them behind. The aching in his legs steadily grew, Tai willing himself to ignore it... a moment later, he came to a halt. Huh.

Breathing ragged, he looked back, seeing them a good distance back. LadyDevimon had taken flight. Alarm flashed in Tai's eyes, at how fast he was approaching. Turning, Tai broke into a renewed sprint.

A gasp escaped him when he heard Angewomon's voice call out to him, "Finished yet?", from the demon. Immediately glancing to his left, Tai hurried to turn and run the other way, barely avoiding to trip. He felt a hand push against his side, then hit a wall head first.

He breathed raggedly, vision blurry.

"It can't be you," he protested. LadyDevimon tilted her head. "It can't be you, Gatomon."

LadyDevimon scoffed, a smirk breaking out. "Believe me, Tai, I am the Gatomon that you know. Well, I was."

Tai refused to believe it.  _"They've simulated Angewomon's voice too, that's all it is."_

Silence filled the hall for a moment, Hikari walking towards them. Tai got on his feet, intently watching LadyDevimon, expecting an attack.

"I must admit to feeling some dismay," Hikari said matter-of-factly, her voice raised. "I had not expected much fight from you without Agumon, but nonetheless, you disappoint me."

He shot her a glare. "Says the coward who had to separate us in the first place."

LadyDevimon gave a shrug. She couldn't deny either of their points. Hikari stopped, a few metres removed from them both.

"The word 'sanctimonious' comes to mind, Tai," Hikari countered, no motion visible from her to either Tai or LadyDevimon. "We did not challenge any of our old foes to single combat, did we? No matter, we have other things to discuss. What would you say to becoming like me?"

Tai stared momentarily. Hikari scrutinized him, concluding he needed more persuasion.

"The waters of the Dark Ocean hold limitless power, Tai, darkness in its base elemental form," Hikari informed. "There is no wish or dream it cannot realize, no tool it cannot make, no ability it cannot give. Contrary to what you might think, its works are not innately wicked."

Tai glared, dismissive. Even if it was true despite everything he had ever seen and heard, he thought, it only proved that this was Dagomon in disguise. LadyDevimon curiously anticipated his answer, expecting he would refuse.

Hikari smiled, then continued. "I see you are skeptical, so consider Ken's visit. He bathed his Digivice, and it was transformed in accordance with his will. When I bathed in the heart of darkness, I was reborn, shall we say. Now, I am free of all my human shortcomings," the glee in her voice was unmissable.

"I'll tell you to go to Hell, but we're already here," Tai bit back. He wished he could say for certain - this wasn't her.

"I advise you to reconsider," Hikari replied, as calm as could be. "I cannot deny being unlike the Kari you knew, but I do still hold some lingering affection for you," Tai scoffed openly at that. "Perhaps you would be happy with a life where you are a world-famous soccer star? Or maybe seeing the infinite wonders of the multiverse with Agumon, on a never-ending adventure?"

The thought brought a question to Hikari's mind - perhaps they would do that when this round was finished. She imagined BlackGatomon would find some of the worlds fascinating.

Tai glared daggers. Hikari sighed.

"As you wish," Hikari said. "Of course, you know what declining to be my ally means, Tai."

Tai could imagine a few things. Hikari closed her eyes, the red light faint through her lids, and put her left hand around her other wrist. She tore the limb off, seeming to feel no pain in the act. A dark substance familiar to LadyDevimon leaked from the wrist, settling into a blob.

Wide-eyed shock filled his face, while she simply grinned expectantly.

The substance seemingly guided itself into a flat and long shape. The surface layer soon flowed back inside her, a knife made from her blood. LadyDevimon's grin widened, eager for the show.

Over on the main land, Omnimon spontaneously glowing caught the traveling party's attention. Almost all watched the knight shrink down and become MetalGarurumon and Agumon, cottoning on. Sora raised her hand to her eyes, struggling to hold back tears. She didn't want to think about this, but couldn't keep herself from the conclusion.

"No," Seraphimon was quick to say with Angemon's voice. "Nobody tell me if this means something. I don't wanna hear it!"

Both halves of UlforceVeedramon agreed that this couldn't mean anything else. TK looked at Seraphimon, worry and dismay tinging his gaze.

"I agree," Matt said, resolutely. "We can't write Tai off until we're sure."


	10. The Battle

A girl of seventeen fell to her knees, all strength draining from her body at the sight of the Dark Ocean. Hands clutching her head, eyes closed tight, breath quickening.

"Please, leave me alone," she begged.

"Ah, but Kari, that is what you fail to realize," his coy voice whispered in her ear. "You are alone, utterly alone, and we of the Dark World are infinite. Look, my enemy," an image formed above the inky waters, Tai hanging lifeless on ChaosGallantmon's lance. A gasp escaped her, tears breaking loose.

"Look long and well on Courage," he commanded her. She closed her eyes, told herself that this was just a horrible nightmare. "See now the spirits of Hope struggle in vain," the image changed, and Kari heard Seraphimon shout, "Strike of the Seven Stars!"

Screams rang out, but Kari didn't open her eyes, couldn't bring herself to. Within seconds, she heard him and Yolei cry out, "TK, NO!".

"See Love falter," he said. Agonized screams from Sora and from Garudamon rang out.

"Stop, please stop," Kari pleaded, a wet sob. Her face glistened with tears.

"You know better than that, now," the voice replied, like he didn't care one way or another. She couldn't bring herself to argue. "Behold this as well. I give you proof that your victories are meaningless."

The projection changed, showed a desert. A village covered much of the visible area. Demons roamed about in the streets and above them. A single building towered at the heart of the village. Kari didn't, couldn't, bring herself to look.

"This is King Piedmon's territory," he said. "This one is far more powerful and skilled a warrior than the Dark Master, and his army numbers in the thousands. A MaloMyotismon equally far beyond the one you knew lives elsewhere on this plane. If either of them wished it, they could be your world's end."

Kari simply wept in response. Not retorting, not even looking at him.

"Well, Kari Kamiya?" he asked smugly. "Are you finally ready to surrender to the endless dark? Are you ready to admit that all your fighting and victories up until now have been meaningless?"

It got no more of a reaction from her.

"Embrace the darkness and become my queen, Kari," he said, almost gently. "If you do, you shall have freedom from all your human weaknesses. No fear, no pain, no anxiety."

Her breathing slowed. Her eyes opened to familiar dark-gray waters around her, her arms beneath it.

"Alright," she murmured, barely audible to him. Almost as soon as the words had left her lips, the dark water began to move, seemingly by itself. Slowly, she saw a doppelganger of herself rise from the sea, dressed in her pink diamonds-marked shirt and yellow shorts. Her chocolate eyes glowed almost crimson, and some of her face was still unformed shadow-water. She gave a slight smile.

Gently, the other draped her arms around her. She was met with no resistance while she dragged her under.

Dagomon willed the memory down, focus wavering. The sensation was fascinating, poem-worthy in its self-contradictory way, he thought, as he  _saw._

Coral reefs that reminded him of rainbows gone dim, and some that didn't. Schools of Deep Ones both young and old, enjoying life together. Arenas where Deep One giants fought for their audiences. Caves deeper down than moonlight's reach.

A creature approximately a fish, with a bulbous head and a mane of tendrils, and a cone-shaped mass of flesh that held four big flippers, swimming alone deep in a rock formation. A wide-mawed frog as large as a mountain, pleased to see hordes of Deep Ones that seemed million-strong bowing by him. A creature identical to Dagomon in all but being red, in a distant region of submarine wilderness. A monstrous serpent.

Each one was a wonder in itself, he thought, infinitely greater together than their parts' sum.

* * *

"Ready to give up, Tai?" Hikari whispered in his ear, already suspecting his answer.

Tai breathed heavily, blood covering his arm. He resolved to not believe her, about anything.

"Not a chance," he murmured, then repeated it a bit more firmly. He stood up, smirking. "But thanks for clinching things for me. Now I definitely know, you're not Kari."

Hikari's face showed no reaction. The knife in her hand changed, becoming a ball of inky water that returned to her. LadyDevimon grinned, appreciative of his defiance.

"Very well," Hikari replied. The visual effect of Deep One teleportation played around them.

LadyDevimon saw the ocean. Taking a look around, she noted they were outside again. She thought about making a sarcastic comment, but nothing better than 'this sure beats walking' came to her.

Hikari peered out over the sea, contemplating her next move. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

"Would you be opposed to seeking another fight?" Hikari asked LadyDevimon.

"Let's," LadyDevimon answered. Hikari didn't answer. After a bit, the teleportation animation repeated itself.

The new scenery that filled LadyDevimon's field of vision made her stare.

There was clouds instead of ground here, varying in color between dark-grey and black. Glowing crystals floated around the area, running the gamut of colors and shapes. Up above, there was only darkness, seemingly endless space. LadyDevimon felt reminded of being back in Apocalymon's space.

"What do you make of this as a battleground?" Hikari asked.

LadyDevimon gave a shrug of her shoulders. "No objections, but I'll like to hear any other options."

"There is a place called the Illusion Forest," Hikari supplied, "and another called the Labyrinth of Lost Souls. Both of them are nearly inescapable. Perhaps the home wasteland of the Dark Digidestined?"

LadyDevimon's grin told Hikari plenty.

"Do you have any preference in opponents?" Hikari asked.

"Whoever," LadyDevimon answered. Hikari closed her eyes, smiling softly.

Over with the traveling party, Jun and Plesiomon calling Shuu's name drew their attention. Almost all turned his way, their reaction almost universal dismay at the sight. Ruki's face showed indifference.

"Helping hand here, please," Shuu called out, a little desperate. His eyes were fixed on his hands.

Jun compelled herself to smile, hoping it was reassuring. "I promise, we'll get you back. _I_  will."

Shuu smiled at that, and spoke. He barely made one syllable before he vanished. The clouds, and the floating crystals, met his eyes.

Almost as soon as Shuu had vanished, the phenomenon repeated with Plesiomon. UlforceVeedramon and Imperialdramon inclined their heads, a mite taken aback.

"Okay, can somebody  _do s_ omething?!" Noriko shouted. She looked to Azulongmon. "Azulongmon, you're supposed to be a god Digimon, right? Don't you have some kinda god-power that can help here?!"

Azulongmon returned a glum look. "I'm sorry, but I don't, I..." he trailed off.

Noriko looked to Ophanimon. "Okay, you're up. If you can make a freakin' portal into this dimension, you can do something about this, right?"

Ophanimon frowned tensely. "The only solution I've got would take minutes we don't have, for each one of us."

A thought occurred to Ruki, and she said, "Hold on, what just happened?!"

Many of them looked quizzically at her.

"Did you fall asleep or something?" Davis asked.

"I think I'm wondering the same thing Ruki is," Imperialdramon said with Davis's voice. A few looked his way, no less confused.

"Why would they take Plesiomon too?" Ruki pointed out. "They could just take the humans and kill us with a long drop into the sea, then wait for our partners to run out of power from a safe distance."

Sora ohhed, her face then turning pensive. Jun glared at her. Glum moods filled a fair many faces.

"Gee, that makes me feel so much better," Ken bemoaned.

"Pragmatically speaking, it is good to knew," Imperialdramon said. "Now we might have a fairly good idea about how powerful they think they are, less than Omnimon."

TK grinned. "Just what I wanted to hear," he imagined Seraphimon burning Dagomon alive.

"Guys?" Keiko nervously called out to them. The group looked at her, immediately seeing the cause of her concern. BlitzGreymon's gaze was fixed on her, deep concern in his eyes.

"Stay calm, kid," Imperialdramon said, a weary sigh laced in Davis's voice. Keiko gulped, not eager to see where she was going.

Unceremoniously, the flickering teen vanished.

Keiko immediately felt faintly humid air on her skin, and saw a forest clearing ahead of her. The ground was covered in flowers larger than most she had ever seen. Their stems were thick and wooden, and their petals came in all kinds of colors, so bright in the faint sunlight that it was uncomfortable for her to look at them, though she was grateful to see colors again.

The moments passed tensely with the group, their members rapidly disappearing. Matt was the first to get whisked away, to a part of Murmukusmon's domain. He felt the heat on his skin a split-second before he spotted the burning river. MetalGarurumon joined there, only seconds later.

The others steadily followed suit, teleporting to whatever parts of the Dark World that Hikari felt inclined to face them in. By the time the fifth pair had been whisked away, Davis and the future Imperialdramon to a mountainous region, the rescue party agreed to not bother running. Nobody had any doubts that trying would get them taken.

The irony sucked ass, Examon had reflected at that point. They had come to save Kari, yet now couldn't even help themselves. He and Noriko agreed to go down swinging, at the very least.

After almost ten minutes, the remaining few observed that the teleportations seemed to be over.

* * *

It was deep in a valley that BlackGatomon materialized. Hikari appeared on her right a moment later. The cat curiously inspected the area, seeing blood-red skies and dark storm-clouds above, and small mountains around them.

"I know you are here, Takeru," Hikari shouted. On the other side of the mountain north of them, TK was sitting with Seraphimon. Both gasped aloud at the sound of her voice. "Come out."

The blond broke into a sprint, an overjoyed smile on his face. When he rounded the corner, he saw her and spread his arms wide, bridging the gap in seconds flat and wrapping himself around her.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Kari," TK murmured. A few tears escaped him. Hikari pushed him back, onto the bedrock. He looked at her with shock, only just then getting a good look at her and Gatomon, seeing all that was different. "Kar-Kari, what's happened to you?"

BlackGatomon smirked predatorily. "I think you can figure that one out."

"Quite," Hikari agreed, her voice openly mocking, "but I suppose that I should introduce myself. After all, you have only known our old selves," she gave them a mild bow, while Seraphimon helped TK to his feet. The panic seemed glued to his face.

"Hello, Takeru and Patamon," she greeted. "I can think of a few things to say that might make things clear to you, but I think my new rank will do. You may call me Queen Hikari of the Dark Ocean," her voice was laced with pride at that status.

TK couldn't believe what he was hearing. Seraphimon straightened up.

"Kari would never say that," Seraphimon asserted. "Tell me what you've done with them, and I'll let you live."

Hikari smirked. Seraphimon tensed unmissably, balling his fists. TK simply gaped and stared.

"An empty threat, Seraphimon," Hikari countered. "Your strength is quite literally nothing compared to all that the darkness has blessed Gatomon and I with."

TK gasped.

"That is exactly what you are here to demonstrate," she informed them, smirk returned. "As I am sure you will agree, it will be quite the message to see Hope's Digidestined and Digimon killed by the champions of the Darkness."

Anger rose in TK's eyes. "You're right, Seraphimon, it's not them."

Seraphimon cupped his hands, declaring "Strike of the Seven Stars" in both voices. Seven golden spheres of divine energy materialized, and shot at Hikari with a push of the archangel's arms.

The Dark Ocean Queen responded with just a mild bit of curiosity, BlackGatomon openly alarmed, as they hit. The blasts seared directly through her, almost vaporizing her upper body. Her arms dropped to the bedrock, leaking black fluid, stray bits of skin and flesh flying around.

Seraphimon focused on the water, both sides of him reminded of what had happened with Lopmon. They agreed on not liking what that indicated. TK grimaced at the sight, though he knew it wasn't Kari.

Hikari's remaining form fell back over, spilling more of the fluid. A pool of it leaked out after she landed.

Seraphimon turned to BlackGatomon. "Now tell us where they are."

When he finished, the water began moving, seemingly by itself. The human and angel stared, taken aback by the sight. BlackGatomon was only mildly surprised by her at this point.

From her waist up, the water shaped new fabric. After but seconds had passed, blobs of the dark water emerged from the neck and sleeves. Skin grew in patches over her head, her left eye restored while her hair grew out again, and her fingertips shaped new nails.

She smirked at them, TK not a little shaken by the display.

"Did I not just tell you, Seraphimon?" Hikari asked, playfully. "Nothing you can do will ever kill me now."

"What are you?" TK murmured, a stammer as he spoke, the memory of Lopmon near to him. Hikari looked at him, calmly approaching. Ignoring his discomfort, she put her fingers under his chin, gently lifting his face up. Radiant red-brown eyes met baby blues.

"It seems that I will have to explain myself more to you," Hikari said. "What I am is the girl you knew, drowned and reborn in the Dark Ocean."

The horror on TK's face almost seemed to deepen at that. She took a step back.

"Let me make this clear to you," she said slyly. "BlackGatomon and I now do not merely champion the Darkness as once we did the Light, we  _are_  the Darkness. Care to demonstrate, BlackGatomon?"

The cat's body flashed with ebony light and rapidly grew, taking on humanoid proportions. The darkness faded, and they could now see Myotismon standing before them.

"No," Seraphimon and TK murmured in unison. Deep inside, Seraphimon suddenly felt tired, drained.

She flickered through various shapes in rapid sequence: first into a familiar hooded archfiend, then SkullSatamon, then a large black dog, and then into MaloMyotismon. The final metamorphosis brought with it immense size, and she settled at last into a VenomMyotismon.

"What do you have to say now, hmm, Takeru?" Hikari called out, with amusement. "Can you honestly tell you that you think I am not Kari?"

Hikari looked expectantly at him. TK felt his breath run short, his body tensing. VenomMyotismon grinned. Seraphimon's two halves felt the other exude the same feeling, a wish that it wasn't as they thought.

"No," TK murmured. The part of Seraphimon that was Patamon didn't really feel them change, as they morphed into MagnaAngemon. Neither mind knew what to say now. VenomMyotismon threw her head back and a clawed hand to her face, laughing. Hikari felt inclined to laugh as well.

MagnaAngemon glared at her, and began walking towards Hikari. VenomMyotismon's arm swooped down and grabbed him after a few short steps. She smirked predatorily at the angel. MagnaAngemon stared uneasily into her golden eyes. With a swing, she tossed him toward the ground.

MagnaAngemon glanced down, and spun to face the ground. Spreading his wings, he slowed his descent, and made a quiet landing, left foot first. Turning around, he saw that the vampire giant was gone.

With Hikari, MagnaAngemon now saw MaloMyotismon.

"Crimson Mist!" MaloMyotismon howled, unleashing streams of blood-red vapor from her shoulders towards them. MagnaAngemon scowled, painfully aware of TK's proximity, and rushed around. Grabbing him, he leapt up.

 _"We gotta change,"_ Armadillomon thought to his current other half.  _"MagnaAngemon can't take that, but maybe Shakkoumon can."_

Quickly agreeing with himself, MagnaAngemon descended, quickly landing again. He turned back to their enemies.

"I know you probably think you've won now," MagnaAngemon said sternly, "but the truth is, we still have a trick up our sleeve."

Hikari smiled. "I expect nothing less. A new Digivolution? Perhaps you and Takeru have learned to Biomerge? That would entertain me to see."

MagnaAngemon ignored her. "Slide DNA Digivolution," with that, he blazed with white light, enveloped like a cocoon. MaloMyotismon charged at him.

Before Hikari's eyes, he grew rapidly, turning almost twice as large as MaloMyotismon. Colors filled back in on the Shakkoumon, and they saw MaloMyotismon run past them. Shakkoumon turned, and both saw where MaloMyotismon was going.

"TK, RUN!" Shakkoumon screamed. TK looked fearfully at MaloMyotismon, rushing back. The vampire swung her claws across his torso, sending him flying, a trail of blood in his path. Shakkoumon separated, as TK made a blunt landing.

Tearfully, Patamon flew to him, shaking him and desperately pleading for an answer, oblivious to the blood pooling beneath him.


End file.
